Swan Princess: Once Upon Broadway
by Jet MacLeod
Summary: Belle shows up to convince Coraline to come back to the Enchanted Forest. Coraline, who has been living as Danni Gallia in New York, is very surprised to see and can't stop the fantastic and magical mayhem that follows. (Swan Princess sequel)
1. Teaser-Chapter 1

**Full Summary: Belle comes back to New York to find Coraline to convince her to find her way back to the Enchanted Forest. Coraline, who has been living as Danni Gallia in New York, a wealthy heiress and friend and flatmate to Rachel and Quinn, is a Broadway producer with a sketchy past who looks to convey True Love on stage while fighting her own inner demons. Rachel is the lead in her newest play, which is closing soon. Quinn is one of her writers and a novelist. Santana is head of her legal department and Brittany is her choreographer. It is a match made in Broadway Heaven until Belle shows up to bring her home to the Enchanted Forest and back to Will, because sometimes you just have to go home again.**

 **Prologue (Teaser)**

They were just about to head to the club from the last presentation of Danni's latest Broadway hit. Rachel and Quinn were happy and waiting for Danni backstage. Rachel had already changed. They were going out and having the final cast and crew party. Danni had rented out a club for the night, much to Rachel and Quinn's surprise. They were all buzzing about the Tonys and how they were all going to win, Rachel for lead actress and score, Quinn for writing and score, and Danni for direction, score and writing. They were Broadway's newest dream team and they were working it for all it was worth. They were happy and they had plenty of reason to be.

They got out of limo that Danni had rented them for the night. Rachel was on Quinn's arm and they were doing their best to hook Danni up with someone from the play. Danni, of course, wasn't cooperating. She loved her friends, but she wasn't ready to move on.

The three hit the bar and ordered drinks. Danni got a whiskey while, Quinn and Rachel were sipping on Rum and Cokes. They were heading to the table that was reserved for them. Danni was watching the crowd like she always did. Quinn and Rachel watched her watching everyone else.

They made their normal speeches. Two years and the "family" was breaking up until Quinn and Danni came up with another one for them. It was emotional in the room, but no one was crying. They were all happy, taking pictures and getting pleasantly drunk. For Danni, it was just another chapter in her life. For Rachel and Quinn, it the end of one project and the beginning of a much needed vacation.

They were sitting at their table talking about what they were going to do with their new found time off, enjoying their drinks, and laughing. Quinn watched as every part of Danni tensed. She elbowed Rachel who turned around to face them and she saw it, too. They turned to see what Danni was staring at when they say a petite woman, no more than thirty with piercing blue eyes and auburn hair standing in the door way of the club. Danni seemed to be transfixed.

"Who is she?" Rachel asked Quinn.

"I don't know. I've never seen her before. But, it is obvious that Danni knows her," Quinn replied.

Danni shifted uncomfortably in her chair. Rachel shot her a look, but she didn't explain anything to Rachel or Quinn about her countenance. She just sat stock still and with incredibly perfect posture.

Rachel, being the inquisitive person that she was, stood up and headed for the woman. Quinn just smiled and watching her as she went. She leaned over to Danni, hoping that she would answer the question once it was asked.

"You want to tell me who that is before Rachel gets back with her?" Quinn questioned.

"For lack of a better term, she's my step-mother," Danni told her.

Their eyes met. Deep brown worried the hazel, but Quinn decided to wait to push her friend about the woman. She seemed visibly upset by seeing her. She knew that Danni was secretive about her family life and everything before they 'met in New York. She just always assumed that they were dead because of the small fortune that Danni used to bankroll their lives. but the appearance of this woman was throwing some serious kinks in the stories that Danni had told them.

"Is there anything that you want to tell me about her?"

"She shouldn't be here. There is no way that she should be here. They're all gone. How did she get back? Why is she here? She can't be here. I have to go. I...Quinn. I'm sorry. Tell Rach...I can't...I just can't do this right now. I am sorry," Danni told her as she stood up to leave.

"Where are you going?" Quinn demanded.

"I'll go back to the lofts. I can't see her. Not tonight. I am sorry..."

"Stop apologizing. Danni and tell me something that I can work with. Rachel is going to bring her over her and she is going to get the woman to talk. So tell me something that I can use to buy you some time, because we both know that Rachel isn't going to give up until she finds out what she wants to know about this whole situation. She's like a dog with a bone. Give me something that will knock Rach of her scent long enough until I can her home," Quinn told her.

Danni looked at her friend. She knew that she owed her some sort of explanation for her behavior but she couldn't think of a single reason that they would understand. Danni wasn't like them. She wasn't from here. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't escape her past. It always came calling and this time she knew that she couldn't not answer. Something was wrong back at home for "step-mother" to have come to get her.

"Danni..."

"Quinn, how old do I look to you?"

"What kind of question is that?"

"Just answer it please," Danni demanded.

"I don't know, thirty-ish?"

"I wish that was the case. I am a lot old than I appear. I am also not from here."

"What the Hell does that mean?" Quinn asked.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

"Try me."

"You know all those stories and fairy tales that you learned as a kid'7"

"Yeah," Quinn replied.

"What if I told you that they weren't just stories?"

"What are you trying to say?" Quinn questioned, cocking her eyebrow.

Danni didn't have time to answer. Rachel was back at the table with the other woman in tow. When Quinn saw her, she couldn't help but see her beauty. She turned back to Danni who just paled as the woman sat down beside Rachel. That was when Quinn realized that Rachel didn't see what the woman's presence was doing to Danni.

"So, Danni, why didn't you tell us that you had a sister and that she was in town?" Rachel asked her.

"Because she shouldn't be here. I haven't seen her in ages," Danni replied.

"It has been too long," the other woman replied.

"Why are you here?" Danni asked forcefully.

"Ruby needs your help. Your mothers need you. Henry needs you. We need you to come home."

"I can't be what you need, and you all know that. I did what I had to do to make sure that you all survived and the price of that was living without you. Nothing has changed, Belle. I can't. I took the punishment willingly. How did you even get here?" Danni asked, tears filling her eyes now.

Rachel and Quinn just stared at each other. They didn't understand what was happening in front of them. They both knew that Danni didn't talk about her family much. They didn't push because it seemed to be a sore subject for her. It was something that Quinn understood and she kept Rachel from making it into a big deal. But now, Belle, supposedly Danni's sister, was sitting at the table with them. Quinn looked over at the woman and couldn't see a resemblance. She wondered if that is why Danni told her that Belle was her "step-mother."

"I'm sorry," Danni told them she jumped up from the table, tears streaming down her face and running away from them, the table, and the club.

Rachel gave Quinn's thigh a squeeze and met her gaze. The unspoken agreement formed between them. Rachel gathered her clutch, took a sip of her cocktail, and stood up to excuse herself.

"I'll go get her," Rachel said, quickly following her.

Rachel gave Quinn another look as she went through the door. Quinn just looked across the small table at the other woman and wondered what had happened to her night. They should be riding the high of another successful Broadway show and instead they were scattering into the wind. She wasn't drunk enough to deal with this tonight.

"I take it she isn't very good with emotions," Belle said quietly.

Quinn just picked up her rum and Coke. She stared into the bright sapphire eyes and took a sip. She didn't know how to respond. Danni was her friend and this woman had just completely upset in a matter of seconds. She wanted to punch something, namely this Belle person, but she knew that both Danni and Rachel would be upset with her for doing that. She sat her glass down and looked around the club. Her eyes finally found those of her best friend and the productions' lawyer on the dance floor.

She merely nodded and the fiery Latina started making her way across the dance floor. There was an unwritten rule between them and Quinn was glad for it. She was stuck in the club trying to figure out how to clean up a mess that she didn't understand. She was going to need Santana's help in making sure that she didn't do anything too illegal and get home to Danni before something else happened.

"What's up Q?" Santana asked as she came up to the table.

"This is Danni's sister, Belle," Quinn told her.

The Latina sat down. She cocked her head as she studied the woman before her. There was something off about what Quinn told her and when she realized that both Rachel and Danni were gone, she knew that this woman had to be the reason for their vacancy.

"Where's the Hobbit and Storyteller?" Santana asked them.

"Rachel went after Danni when she left."

"What did you do to my main bitches, _Puta_?" Santana asked the blue-eyed woman.

"I need to take my sister home. I didn't mean to upset anyone, but this is a family matter. I am sure that you understand," Belle told them both, before she turned to face Quinn more directly. "Will you please take me to her? Time is of the essence and I need to get her home."

"I am not sure that she wants to see you. And, I am not just going to take you to our loft. So, you need to give me a good enough reason to help you, or you can figure out how to make Danni talk to you on your own. Cause right now, I am not going to help you," Quinn told her.

"Like I said this is a family matter," Belle started to say.

"Danni is our family," Santana added quickly, giving Belle a look daring her to contradict.

"I would like to help you, Belle is it, but until you tell me how she ended up in New York, broken and defeated on a cold, rainy winter day, I have nothing to offer you," Quinn added.

"She was hurt?" Belle inquired.

The raw emotion in her voice and the sudden appearance of tears in her eyes made Quinn second guess being so hard on the petite woman. She looked her over. Her clothes were a little off, like they were a few years old fashion-wise, but nothing too bad. The look of horror and pure pain in her blue eyes ripped at Quinn's soul. She knew that pain. She could taste it.

"You don't know what happened to her, do you?" Quinn asked.

"No, I really don't. There were some issues and some fighting. _Danni_ fought back and took care of it. Then, she was gone. I don't know what happened completely, but I've been looking for her for over three years. Every chance I got, I looked for her. She just disappeared. She left us a note saying she was leaving and nothing more, no explanation. I know that she was upset with her mothers, but she left without trying to figure anything out. We all love her and we want her to come home. I need to talk to her. I know that she did something, something that should have never been asked of her. I know that whatever she did ensured our prosperity, but that doesn't mean that she can't come back home," Belle explained.

"What do you mean that she did something to ensure your prosperity?" Quinn asked.

"How much of her past has she told you about?"

"Nothing really. She actually told me that you were her step-mother, but Rachel introduced you to us as her sister. I don't know what to think or believe. So, convince me to take you to her and I might do that. If not, you can fuck off and leave," Quinn told her.

"I would rather not do this in public," Belle stated.

"Too bad. You came here, so now you talk. Or, there's the door," Santana told her.

"We can go anywhere, but please don't make me do this here in a crowded place."

"It's New York City, lady. It's crowded. Get over it," Santana quipped.

"Quinn, _s'il vous_ _plaît_."

" _Non, je ne me soucie pas que ous parlcz français_. I am not going to betray Danni. So either tell me something that I can believe and I'll talk to Danni," Quinn said as her hazel eyes hardened.

Belle realized that they were fiercely loyal to her and she smiled. It made Quinn and Santana a little more edgy and she knew it but she couldn't help it. She knew that Coraline could command anyone if she wanted to, but she chose these women to be her inner circle. Belle knew that there had to be a reason for it. She just needed to keep talking to them so she could find a way to make them believe her, too. Coraline had changed her name but she hadn't forgotten who she was. It was a start and that was all Belle would need in order to convince her ward to come back home.

"My name is Belle French Lucas. I am married to _Danni's_ Aunt Ruby. Ruby is the sister to one of her mothers. Unfortunately when she was little something very bad happened. Ruby and I ended up raising her. That is why she calls me her step-mother. Some more things happened in our kingdom and she had to leave. She did what she had to do to save us, but...it's hard to explain fully. But during that time, she told everyone that she was my sister so she could do what she had to do."

* * *

Rachel sat on the couch in the loft and just stared at Danni. She didn't know what to say because she had never seen her friend in this state. Danni wasn't one to just shut down and that is exactly what she had done. Rachel had to run after her to catch her.

"You wanna talk?" Rachel asked her.

"No."

She wanted to help her friend, but she didn't know how. Danni seemed to be lost in her own thoughts as tears streamed down her face in slow succession. Finally, she could take it anymore. She got up and crossed the room. She forced Danni into an embrace and just held her as the anguish passed through Danni's body. She was about to say something to her when she felt her phone vibrate. She pulled it out and noticed that it was a text message from Quinn.

Quinn was worried about her, too. She remembered how Danni was a few years ago when they found her at the club. She looked lost and hollow. They reached out to her and started their strange friendship. No one in the business could understand how someone of Danni's countenance became friends with the dynamic Broadway duo of Q and R. Well, that is until they met Santana and Brittany, then it made sense. But, Rachel could be friends with anyone and that was one of the reasons that she was the one at home with Danni while Quinn was still at the club trying to feel Belle out.

"Danni, what happened with your family?"

"I can't tell you."

"You can tell me. It won't change anything, okay? Quinn and I are here for you. We aren't going to leave you. We are your friends," Rachel told her.

"That is why I can't tell you. It is dangerous enough being associated with me. If you knew the truth, it could be deadly...for everyone," Danni offered with no more explanation.

"Danni...Quinn is still at the club with your sister. She is going to find out what happened or something close to it. I know that you might not want to tell us, but that may not stop your sister. Quinn texted me to tell me that she and Santana are talking to Belle. If you don't want to see her, fine, but she wants to talk to you. Quinn is fielding her off for the moment. But if she found you at the club on our closing night, how long do you think it would take her to find the loft and you?" Rachel asked.

"She is damn resourceful," Danni muttered.

"She must be if she found you in the City by herself."

Danni looked over at the smaller brunette. She saw the worry in her dark eyes and was upset that she was the reason that it was there. She pulled away and shook her head. She knew that Belle wasn't going to give up. She made the decision. She would leave in the night. It would be the safest thing for them all. She wasn't sure if she would leave a note or not. She knew that she owed Quinn and Rachel an explanation, especially after everything that they'd been through, but she didn't know if it would lead them to her in the end. She had to be careful. She had to lead Belle away from them and still get away. They couldn't know the truth of her fairy tale life. For one, they wouldn't believe her. And, they wouldn't understand any of it, either.

Rachel watched her lighter brown eyes. She could see the thoughts flowing quickly and she knew what it meant. Danni was going to run. She'd promised that she wouldn't after they found her that night. She promised that she would always tell them truth, but whatever this was, this secret, it was breaking Danni right in front of her and there was nothing she could do about it. She grabbed her phone and texted Quinn three words: **She's gonna run**.

"I'm going to go lay down. I'm tired. I didn't realize how much the play took out of me."

"Danni…"

"Not tonight, Rach. Please. Just let me sleep and I'll tell you everything in the morning."

Rachel knew that it wasn't true, but she just nodded anyway. She didn't care that Danni was lying to her about talking to her in the morning. Her heart broke with each step that Danni took towards her room. She wondered how long she had before Danni would make a break for it. She looked around their loft penthouse and was glad that she would have to go through the main rooms to get out. Rachel then hatched a plan. They would take turns staying up, guarding the front door, so Danni couldn't run in the middle of the night without them knowing.

Rachel grabbed her phone. She typed out another quick text to Quinn and then waited. She hated waiting. She loathed it. She held her phone as she turned the leather recliner to face Danni's door. She felt the buzz telling her that Quinn had answered her text.

 _What do you mean she's running?_

 **She's gonna run. I could see it in her eyes.**

 _I'm still with Belle. She's glossing over the family history._

 **They share some secret and it is tearing Danni up.**

 _Do you want me to come home?_

 **Not yet. Try and get what you can out of' her sister. Just be careful.**

 _I am. I got S with me. She won't let her sister do anything to me._

 **I know, but this scares me.**

 _Why?_

 **There is just something in her eyes that I can't describe.**

 _You're at loss for words?_

 **Don't...just find out something.**

 _I'm trying. Keep her there. We'll be home as soon as possible._

 **We?**

 _S and B. You know that she isn't going to let D run. She'll sit on her first._

 **I know. I love you. Be careful.**

 _Always my beautiful stella._

Rachel smiled at the phone. She hoped that Quinn would be home soon and that they could figure out how to get Danni to open up again. She thought about going into her room and getting in bed with her, holding her, and making her realize that there were people there that cared. But the look that had been in Danni's eyes worried her so much that she wasn't sure it would work this time.

Danni opened the door to her room. She saw the little starlet in the chair facing her and her face fell. She knew then that it wasn't going to be easy to get out. She would have to find a different way to get passed them. She wondered if she would have to break down and give them so truth. When her eyes met Rachel's, she realized that Quinn was still at the club with Belle. She sighed. It was going to be a long night.

* * *

Quinn sipped on her drink. She kept studying the woman before her. Santana had left the table only long enough to get another drink and find Brittany. When she looked over Belle's shoulder, she saw Santana and Brittany heading back towards the table. Santana had a tray of shots in her hand and two beers. Quinn could only shake her head. She knew that Santana would try to get Belle drunk to get to the truth because it was what she did to Quinn when Quinn didn't want to talk.

She was just putting her phone away when Santana set the tray down. She watched her pass the shots around the table as she eyed Belle the entire time. Brittany's bubbly attitude was infectious and Quinn perked up a little, but she couldn't dampen the worry that was growing because of Rachel's texts.

"Alright, Short Stack, drink up and get to talkin'," Santana told Belle.

Belle looked at the Latina. There was no fire in her eyes. She actually looked sad and worried. It didn't faze Santana. She merely pushed the shot closer to her.

Belle picked the shot up slowly. She looked around the table. She met Quinn's hazel eyes first. Then she turned to face the fiery Latina. Santana just smirked at her as she held the glass higher about to tip it into her mouth. Then she looked into Brittany's bright blue eyes and took the drink. She slammed the glass on the table upside down, staring back into Santana's eyes.

"It's Bookworm," she said cocking an eyebrow at her in defiance.

"Excuse me?" Santana asked, after downing her shot.

"My nickname is Bookworm. I believe it was originally given to me to be derogatory, but I was the town librarian, historian, and I love to read. I understand your need to be larger than life, Miss Lopez, but I assure you than I'm not here to hurt anyone. I just need to talk to my little sister."

Santana stared at her. They hadn't given her their names. How did she know that she was Santana Lopez? Her eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"Do not worry about what I know and what I don't. I know that Danni is in pain and hasn't told you everything. I get it. Your defense of her is honorable but unnecessary."

"Well, I think it is. She obviously doesn't want to talk to you. She left."

"I need her to come home," Belle stressed the last word as she said it.

"She is home," Quinn said quickly, letting the anger that had been building seep through her voice, so much that Santana gave her an appreciative and smug look.

"Yeah, she lives with Rachel und Quinn. They love each other and share their loft. Why would she want to leave that? They take care of her. We're her family or that's what she told me the other day. We are her family, right, S?" Brittany asked looking to Santana for the answer.

"Yes. Britt-Britt, we're her family, now. She didn't lie to you. She loves you, too, baby. But, Bookworm over there is her sister," Santana explained to the blonde bringing her up to speed.

"Oh, well, what did she do that her family abandoned her when she needed you?" Brittany asked.

Santana and Quinn both turned to read the expression on Belle's face. Sometimes having Brittany as friend helped them in sticky situations like this. Her innocence always helped people open up when they normally wouldn't. Quinn cocked an eyebrow at her waiting for her response. Santana just glared. But, it wasn't until Belle met Brittany's clear blue eyes again that she opened her mouth.

"She killed a man."


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Sorry about the long delays. I found out that I needed glasses. So...I broke down at got them. I've only had them for two days, but I couldn't write for over two weeks while I was waiting on them to come in. So, hopefully we'll have regular updates for everything. I decided that I didn't want to wait to post this. I know with Swan Princess I was averaging 6k words, but these seems to be averaging 4k plus, so I think I'll stick to that. These chapters should be between 4 to 6k. Hope that gives you some insight into how I'm going to write this one. Love you all. Stick with me, this is going to be good.**

 **Chapter 2**

She'd gone back into her room in the mansion. She still wasn't sure how they had all ended up in Storybrooke, but that didn't matter at the moment. Red was the issue. She needed to help her. She hadn't really thought about what she was doing when she fled New York City for Storybrooke. She didn't even know what was wrong with Red. It had been a split second decision. For some reason, she just assumed that everyone was back.

The town was still intact, much to her amazement, but no one was there. Amazingly it wasn't over run. Belle told her it had been two years since she'd been gone. She wasn't sure. Life in New York had been easy and fast. Time didn't matter to her.

She stood in the hallway and looked around. She couldn't believe that there were pictures of Remy with them all there. She wanted to cry, but she knew that it was her own fault she wasn't in any of those pictures too. Any picture that she might have been in had been erased or Belle had taken them. She would have to ask her about that later, but right now, she needed to figure out how to get home.

She made her way into the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of wine from the rack. She opened it over the sink, grabbed a glass, and went outside. She sat down on the edge of the lawn lounger. She poured herself a healthy amount and sat the bottle on the table beside the chaise.

"You remind me of Regina when you do that," Belle told her, walking up behind her with her own glass.

She sat down beside her, took the bottle and poured herself some wine. After taking a sip, she turned to look at Coraline, wondering what she was thinking about. She knew that the last few days had been rough for her and she understood her hesitance in helping. She really did, but she still hoped that Coraline would just admit that she missed them and come home.

"How?"

"How what?"

"Do I remind you of her?"

"The heavy thinking while drinking a glass of wine and trying not to stress out."

"So, Emma doesn't do that?" Coraline asked her.

"No, she uses physicality. Usually you can find her with Charming sparring or beating a bag. Regina drinks wine or goes for a ride on her horse," Belle told her.

"I guess I do all of that," Coraline replied.

"You do," Belle said.

Coraline was watching her now. She wondered when Belle would ask her about what she had been doing for the last two years. She wondered when Belle would tell her what was going on beyond the fact that Red was sick and needed Coraline to come back. Belle was hiding something and she knew that it was big. She could only wonder what was really going on.

"Just ask me," Belle finally said breaking Coraline's thoughts.

"Ask you what?" Coraline question in reply.

"You want to know what's really going on back in the Enchanted Forest, don't you?"

"I do."

"But, you won't ask me?"

"A lot has happened to me in the last two years, Belle. I can say the same for you. You've become harder and more direct. I can see Mom's tutelage in it. What has happened?"

"Wilhelmina is lost without you. She is broken. She is like the rest of us. She doesn't know or understand completely why you left, just that you are gone and her heart hurts because of it. Some of us have taken it harder than others, but none like Will has. There is nothing that we can do to cheer her up. She believes that you are gone forever and her heart is breaking in two."

"But, that doesn't tell me what happened," Coraline stated.

"Doesn't it."

"No."

Belle looks at her. She can see the hardened woman before her. She reminded her of the Coraline that she thought was her sister in the beginning and the hardened knight that Blue present to the Court. Coraline had let her life dictate her emotional response or lack thereof in every situation. She knew that the woman before her had a hard time loving anyone, which is why she still didn't understand why she left.

"Then, let's start somewhere else, then shall we?" Belle asked her.

"Fine."

"Do you still love Will?"

"Yes."

"Did you honestly think that releasing in her in the woods outside the camp where George was would break the bond between the two of you?"

"Yes."

"Did I not teach you magic?" Belle asked.

"A little, but yes, you did."

"Then, why would you think that you could break True Love's bond that simply?"

"Because I knew what I had become."

"And, what pray tell is that?"

"I am the fucking Dark One. I have the power of absolute evil inside me and sometimes…sometimes there is no tempering it. I couldn't watch her break beside me just because she loves me. I had to do something that would be for the greater good. I had to let her go. If I let her go and freed her from our bond, then she would be able to move on without me. She could have a life of her own," Coraline told her.

"There is only one problem with that," Belle started.

"Yeah, what?"

"Regina released her from her contract before she came to see you that night."

"What night? The night I left? Is that why she kissed me?" Coraline asked.

"Yes."

"What do you want me to tell you? Do you want to know that I saw the fear in Regina and Emma's eyes that night? That my own parents were frightened of me? That you were? You can't even deny it. You were scared of me and you had every reason to be."

"I won't deny it. There is no point. But, what I want to know is why you didn't give us a chance to help you? You just ran. You ran from your family and the love of your life and for what? To come here and work at a theatre? Coraline you were born for more than this and you know that. I just want to know why," Belle said.

Coraline saw the fire in Belle's eyes. She knew that Belle wanted answers, but she wasn't sure that she was ready to give them to her. She didn't know if she had them, anyway. Life hadn't been what she'd expected it to be. Being the Dark One clouded her mind sometimes.

"Because I didn't want to hurt you all," Coraline said with a defeated voice.

Rachel stood in the kitchen. She was amazed at the size of the house, but she didn't say anything to anyone about it. She couldn't believe that they were in middle of nowhere in Maine. This was not how she planned on spending her time off. A vacation would be nice, but this was just…she didn't know what. She loved Danni, but she knew that something was off as soon a she met Belle. Danni wasn't afraid of anything or anyone, but as soon as she saw Belle, she turned back into the woman that had rescued her from the alley way.

"What's up?" Santana said joining her in the kitchen and making herself some coffee.

"I don't know."

"She still hasn't told you where she disappeared to that six months years ago."

"No, she hasn't. She left after she made sure that Quinn was going to stay with me. Then she just comes back with a new name, a new life and lots of money. What was I supposed to do?"

"Follow her?"

"Like I was going to do that when I still had to perform the next week. You know how much I hate having an understudy take a show. It was bad enough that she made me wait until most of the bruises turned light enough to cover completely. Quinn wasn't happy about it either, but I wasn't going to betray her trust. She saved me that, San," Rachel stated.

"You still haven't told me what you were doing there to begin with," Santana said.

"It's not important. It doesn't matter anymore. Do you even know where we are?"

"Somewhere in Maine, but I don't think that it is on a map," Quinn stated joining them.

"It's called Storybrooke," Brittany added.

They all looked at the tall blonde in wonder. No one knew how she knew where they were. She just shrugged before saying, "Didn't you see the welcome sign?"

They all just stared at her. Brittany was the only one who payed attention to everything that went on around her. She was just so good at reading people. They had come with Belle to the little hamlet town because Brittany was worried about Danni. Had Brittany not been worried, they would have just waited at home for Danni to come back. Brittany told them that she might not this time and the next thing they were all in Quinn's Jeep on the way to Maine. It had been an easy decision.

"What do you think they are talking about?" Quinn asked.

"I don't know, but Danni seems troubled by it," Rachel stated.

"I don't know if Belle is really her sister. They don't look anything alike. My third eye is telling me that something is amiss with them. Can't you see it?" Santana questioned.

"It doesn't matter. What matters is that Danni needs us. What are we going to do about it?" Rachel asked them.

"Whatever she'll let us do," Quinn added.

"I don't want her to disappear like she did a few years ago, Quinn. We need to make sure that she knows we are willing to help. You didn't see the changes that happened after she left New York and came back. I did. I don't think she'll come back this time," Rachel stated.

"Isn't that her choice?" Quinn asked.

"It is, but this is bigger than that," Rachel replied.

"Meaning?" Santana questioned.

"This is bigger than just Belle and Danni. There is something going on beyond here and now. I think that we should wait to see what Danni tells us. She is our friend. We owe her that."

"We do, Rachel. I'll give you that, but she tried to disappear again on you. You….you were the only one that had contact with her before, Rachel. You know her better than the rest of us. She seems to trust you more. She always has," Quinn stated.

"So you want me to go talk to her?"

"You would be the best one to do it," Brittany added.

"I don't know that she'll tell me."

"She will," Quinn said.

Rachel looked at her friends. She didn't know if Danni would talk to her, but she knew that she had to try. She nodded at them and left the room. She knew that she would be interrupting them, but they had come with Belle all the way to Maine from New York on a whim. They needed more before they left.

She knocked on the door frame as she walked out. She wanted them to know that she was coming. She didn't want it to be that big of a surprise. She knew that Belle might not tell her thing that Danni would. She just hoped that Danni would tell her enough to make them understand what was happening.

Belle turned to look at the petite brunette. She smiled. She knew that Rachel was a friend of Coraline's. She could see it in the way she did things. She knew that there was some sort of close relationship between them. She couldn't define it and she didn't care. She knew that it was probably the same between her and Regina. It didn't have to have a reasoning because it just worked. And, because it worked, things got done.

Rachel continued her way over to them. Danni looked up at her and gave her a tight smile. Rachel knew that look and she hated it. It was the same look that Quinn made when she didn't want to talk about something. But, Danni also knew that Rachel would push and she'd get her answers. No one was good at telling Rachel no.

Danni waved her over and Rachel took the seat that Danni vacated. She sat down on the edge of the patio and stared out into the grassy yard, wondering what questions Rachel would ask, knowing she wasn't going to let it go. They all wanted to know why she ran back to Maine, to some unknown town that didn't show up on the GPS or the map, but yet, Belle had brought them there. She knew that they were wondering how Danni belonged in a seemingly deserted town.

"Just ask, Rachel," Danni told her.

"Ask what?" Rachel replied, trying to be aloof, but failing miserably as only she could.

"I know that you want to know, so just ask. I'll tell you anything. You already know that."

"Where are we?"

"Storybrooke, Maine…my hometown of sorts," Danni replied.

"You're from Maine? Funny, you've never sounded like it. And, Belle doesn't either. What are you hiding from here? Why here?" Rachel asked.

"This isn't where I grew up, no, but this is my home. This is the home in which my Mother and Ma live together…lived together until a few years ago. By all accounts, this town should be gone, but as you can see it isn't. I don't have all the answers and I am sure that you want more, but I am not sure I can give them to you. Well, not in any way that you would believe me."

"Danni, we love you. We followed you because of that. Why wouldn't you think that we would help you? I still owe you from what happened in that alleyway, Danni. I am still the only one that knows that you were once called Coraline. I've never betrayed that. Can you really sit there and tell me that you don't care about us at all?" Rachel questioned emotions building in her eyes.

"I can't and you know that. We've all come a long way in the past few years, Rachel. I won't deny that. I also won't deny my history before I met you all. But, there are some things that should be left unsaid. I thank you for your support, but you should all go back to New York. There is nothing for you to do here," Danni told her.

"I didn't ask you that."

"I know that, but that is my answer."

"Danni…"

"No, Rachel, I can't explain it in a fashion that you will understand."

"Try me."

"Rachel…"

"Show her, Coraline," Belle told her.

She turned. Her dark eyes meeting those of her aunt/sister. She couldn't believe that Belle would suggest such a thing. There was something in her blue eyes that Danni couldn't describe, but she understood that Belle knew more about how to deal with this realm than she did.

"Are you sure?" Danni asked her.

"It is the only way that she'll understand our truth."

Belle leaned back in the chair. She watched her as she waved her hands dismissively. Rachel watched the interaction and saw how easily they acted with each other. They obviously had a close relationship like the one that Rachel had with her fathers. She couldn't blame Belle in that instant for coming back for her. Danni was special, even Rachel could see that, but seeing her with Belle could actually explain some of her emotional responses and interactions.

Danni turned and faced Rachel a little more fully. She could see Santana, Brittany and Quinn watching them from the kitchen. Each of them had a cup of coffee and a strange look on their face. She smiled up at them before she turned her attention back to Rachel.

"Do you trust me?"

"What?" Rachel asked in response.

"Do you trust me?"

"Of course, I do."

"Anything I show you, any of you, in this town cannot leave it," Danni told her.

"The only people I would tell you already know," Rachel stated.

"I mean it, Rachel. You can't tell Kurt or Blaine, either. If the four of you know, then you know. But, what I am about to show you could put your life in danger, can you live with that? Because I not sure that I can. I haven't told you anything about my life, honestly, before we met in that alleyway years ago for a reason. I was doing it to protect you."

"Well obviously something from your past has come back to haunt you, Danni. We are your friends. We aren't going to let you face this alone. You know, now, that we will follow you, so you just might as well tell us," Rachel told her.

Danni sighed. She knew it was true. Rachel wouldn't let it go until she knew the truth. It was one of the reasons that they got along so well.

"Fine," Danni told her.

She turned off the edge of the porch and stood up. She faced Rachel a little more closely. She took a step forward and then another until she was right in front of Rachel. She knelt down before her and stole another glance at Belle, who just shook her head in the affirmative.

"I want you to remember that you asked for this," Danni stated as she leaned back away from her just a little, but enough to keep Rachel between her and those in the kitchen.

Rachel nodded. Danni sighed and then looked down. She didn't want to do this, but she knew that this was the only way that they might believe the tale that she would tell them later.

"I am not from this realm," Danni started.

"Realm?"

"Please don't…"

"Sorry, continue," Rachel replied.

Danni gave her a look and sighed. She turned to Belle again, hoping that her aunt/sister would stop her from doing this. Belle shook her head and motioned for her to continue.

"You know all those stories that you learned as a kid, the fairy tales and the fantasies," Danni started again and paused to see Rachel's reaction. When she nodded, Danni continued. "Well, I tell you that there is a lot of truth in them. But, they are the stories of my family and where I am from. I am not from Earth as you call it. I am actually from the Enchanted Forest."

"Danni…"

"Rachel, let me finish."

Rachel sat back and looked into her dark eyes. She could tell that Danni believed everything that she was telling her. She wasn't sure if Danni lost her mind or what, but she decided that she would hear her out. She knew that there were things that Danni couldn't explain and she hoped that maybe she could garner something from her tale.

"I was born here in Storybrooke…about…"

"It would have been last year," Belle added.

"Yes, last year. When I was born I was named Remy Aurora Swan. Some things happened and we were all transported back to the Enchanted Forest through a magic portal…but that honestly doesn't matter to this story…" Danni said as she watched Rachel shift in the chair uncomfortably as she continued to tell her about it.

"You know what, that doesn't matter. None of it matters now. That is a story for another day. I can't just tell you. I'll have to show you," Danni told her as she stood up.

She shook her head and looked into Rachel's surprised eyes. She knew that the singer was worried for her mental health and was really beginning to question Belle's relationship to her. She reached out for Rachel's hand, but she didn't take it.

"Do you still trust me?"

"Yes…"

"Then take my hand," Danni told her.

Rachel actually took it this time when it was offered. Danni still kept her between herself and the prying eyes in the kitchen. She knew that they sent Rachel out to find out what was going on, but she also knew that they weren't prepared for her truth.

"Please don't run," Danni said weakly.

It was enough to keep Rachel rooted to the spot. Her eyes followed Danni's dark ones. She gasped as the slowly turned green and looked down at her hands. Rachel followed her gaze. Her eyes got even wider when she saw the flames that were encompassing Danni's palms. Rachel looked back up into Danni's eyes. When she saw nothing but mirth, Rachel tried to dampen down her anxiety by what she was seeing.

"How?" she asked simply.

"Magic," Danni replied.

"Does it hurt?"

"No."

"But, it's fire."

"It is."

"Will it burn me?" Rachel asked.

"Yes, if you touch it, it will burn you."

Rachel reached out with one hand, finger extended. She got close enough to feel the heat from the blaze without needing to touch it. Her eyes got bigger as she realized that she couldn't see anything in Danni's hand. The fire was hovering over her palm.

"Danni…"

"I am trying to tell you, Rachel, but I knew that you wouldn't understand."

"The fire isn't touching you."

"No, it isn't."

"But how?" Rachel asked.

"Magic."

Rachel sat back down. As soon as she moved, Danni knew that the other three women in the house saw the fire. She saw the worried looks from Santana and Brittany. Quinn didn't look worried. She looked pissed.

Danni saw the change in her stature even through the window. Belle noticed the difference in Danni's posture. Rachel was still standing there gob smacked. She didn't know how to really react. There was so much running through her head.

"You need to tell them all," Belle urged when she caught the looks from the window.

Danni met her gaze. She knew that Belle was right, but she knew that she needed to convince Rachel completely first. She put the fire out in her hand and reached out for Rachel. When she didn't pull away, Danni urged her to sit back down. Rachel took the seat quickly. She kept her eyes on Danni's as she moved around the porch.

"I told you that you wouldn't believe me."

"How?"

"How what, Rachel?"

"How did you do that? And, don't tell me magic. How did you do that? Is that some sort of theater trick? How'd you do it?"

"I told you, Rachel. It's magic. It flows through me. Unfortunately for this land, this realm, there is no magic. I couldn't show this before. There is no magic in New York," Danni explained as she took a step back from her.

"There is no such thing as magic. They are all parlor tricks and showmanship. So, how did you do that?" Rachel asked again.

Danni shook her head. She knew that Rachel wouldn't want believe her even if she was in her face about it. She didn't know what else to do. Fire was the easiest thing to show them.

"You don't get it, do you, Rachel? I have magic. It flows through me. I can do things that others only wish they could, but the problem with that power is where I can use it. Your world, here, Earth, doesn't have any inherent magic. What magic is here has been brought from other worlds or realms and love, because love is the greatest magic of all. Storybrooke doesn't really exist in your world. Magic exists here because of love and well, other magics. I do things here that I can't do out there. This is why I didn't want you following me. This is why you shouldn't have come here. Because nothing that happens here will make sense to you," Danni told her.

"Don't get angry with me," Rachel stated.

"I am angry with you, Rachel. I've never been angry with you. Frustrated, yes, but angry no. Trust me on that. You'll know when I am angry," Danni replied.

"Danni, you can't convince me that you can do magic by putting fire in your hands. There are so many different stage tricks to make that happen. Come on. You work in a theatre. You know that. So, if you want me to believe you, you're going to have to do better than that."

"I should have known that the diva would need more," Danni muttered.

She backed up. She looked around the yard. She wasn't sure what she could that would make Rachel believe her. Then she spotted a weed, a dandelion in the grass. She picked it.

She stood back in front of Rachel. She held the dandelion in hands. She held it out for Rachel to see. Rachel brushed her hands over the stem. She then looked up at Danni.

Danni took a step back and dropped her hands. The dandelion was suspended in the air. She watched as Rachel's eyes went wide at the sight.

"You wanted magic. Here's some magic. Watch this," Danni told her.

She ran her hands around the floating flower to prove that there was nothing holding it. Then she wiggled her fingers to the right of it. Rachel watched in awe as the flower bloomed in front of her. The bright yellow expanded open for all to see its color. Then just as quickly it faded back into itself. But, knowing Rachel, Danni wasn't done. She stopped wiggling her right hand and started with her left. The flower turned into the puff ball of seeds. She was making nature speed up right in front of her. Rachel gasped at the sight, but Danni still wasn't done.

She grabbed the puffball, held it out for Rachel, and told her, "Blow."

Rachel did as she was bid. She watched as the seeds spread into the air. Danni raised her hands and the seeds began an artfully choreographed dance before spinning around Rachel and coming back to Danni's hand. She closed her hand around the seeds.

Rachel gave her a look of confusion. Danni held up her finger telling her to wait with her other hand. Then, slowly, she opened the hand that held the seeds. As fingers uncurled from around them, Rachel could see a flower literally growing out of Danni's hand. Danni reached over with her left hand and "picked" the flower before handing it to Rachel.

"Was that enough for you?"


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

It was early the next morning. Quinn had tried to stay away from Danni after the demonstration the night before but she was finding it hard in the large house. She could see her influence in everything. She didn't know why she felt, but she did. Sure there were no pictures of her on the wall, but she could see the resemblance between her, Regina and Emma. It was almost undeniable.

Then Quinn began to think about everything that Danni had ever told them about her family. Suddenly, she felt very much in tune with the slightly older woman. This house could have been the house that she grew up in Lima. On the outside there was so much love, but on the inside…she just didn't know and she realized that was what bothered her the most. She was comparing this house to her own childhood home.

She decided that she needed to clear her head, so she would go on a run. For her it made sense when nothing else about their situation did. It was a fall back from high school and being a Cheerio, but she had to admit that Sue helped them all face things in their way past high school. She never thought that she would think about Sue in a positive light considering all the horrors and strange tortures that she put them through, but she was actually thankful for it, now.

She went back into the room that she was sharing with Rachel. She looked at the brunette and smiled. How Rachel had convinced them all to pack she still didn't know? They had no idea what they were getting into. They just all packed a bag full of miscellaneous things and clothes, jumped into two vehicles and made their way to some unknown little town in Maine. She should be mad with both Rachel and Danni for doing this, but this was the closest thing to a vacation that they had had in years. She shook her head and grabbed her bag.

She changed into some shorts and t-shirt, before grabbing her Harvard hoodie on the way out the door. She looked left and the right to determine which way to go. The town was quiet. She knew from what Danni told her that there wasn't anyone there. They were all gone, but it didn't make it any less creepy.

She shook the thoughts from her head. She turned to the left. She knew that it was back towards town. She figured that it would be better for her run and she headed out.

She wasn't going down the lane that long before she heard the familiar clop, clop of another runner. She didn't turn to see who it was. She could tell by the gate. It was Danni because of all the runs they had gone on together in New York. She sighed but continued to run. She just hoped that the other woman would just pass her and let her run in peace. She knew that it might be a pipe dream, but she really didn't want to talk to Danni right now.

"Turn left at the end of the street," Danni told her catching up to her.

Quinn gave her a pointed HBIC look, but nodded anyway. She shook her head as she did in fact turn left at the end of the street. Danni never left her side, but thankfully she didn't speak either. They ran in that fashion for the most part. Danni would give her directions and Quinn would take it, begrudgingly. When they ended up at the wharf, Quinn couldn't help but wonder if it hadn't been by design. She knew that Danni knew the town when she didn't, but she was capable of pacing herself for a roughly two to five mile run. She did it all the time. All it did was make her wonder more about Danni's influence in their lives. Why did they follow her so blindly'? Why did they believe her so easily? Quinn didn't have the answers, but she stopped where Danni did and waited with her as they both stretched, not wanting to cramp as they walked slowly down the dock towards the water and some wooden park benches overlooking the Atlantic.

"You're angry with me," Dunn stated more than asked.

Quinn didn't answer as they neared the benches. She just took a seat on one and watched as the sun begun to peak over the water. The fog was just starting to lift off the water in the cove. It was surreal. It should be beautiful and on any other day it would be for Quinn, but knowing everything that she did now, it was almost horrific. She felt like she was in some sort of crazy fantasy movie with no way out.

"I get it."

Quinn turned to face her more fully, and said. "Do you? Do you really? Because I don't think you do."

Danni laughed slightly. She knew how Quinn felt about the truth, but she also knew that Quinn wouldn't have believed her either. It was a catch 22, but Danni took the road she figured would always cause the least amount of hurt. She'd had years to gauge people and their reactions. She knew that Quinn would be angry when she found out the truth, if she did, but she never thought about how much alike they were until she saw her sitting there on that bench at Storybrooke's wharf.

"I know you're upset and you have every right to be, Quinn. I would never try to tell you otherwise. Trust me when I tell you that I know what it's like to be lied to constantly, especially when other people think it is for your own protection and they are the ones closest to you. I didn't tell you because I didn't think that you would believe me. It was my choice and one at I stick by. But, I can tell you this much. I will answer any question you have for me, honestly and completely. Ask me anything. I don't care. You've earned the right."

Quinn took a deep breath and looked at her. She could see the same soft dark eyes that she'd known for the last few years. Her head was still trying to wrap itself around the fact that Danni lit her hand on fire and it didn't burn like the night before. She took another deep breath trying to center herself. She didn't want to go off on her, but she wanted answers.

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why did you bother coming to Cambridge and telling me what happened lo Rachel if you could have been there for her after it all?" Quinn asked.

The question shocked Danni. It wasn't the question that she was expecting. She knew that Quinn was protective of all of their friends. She'd proven it time and time again at the theater, on the streets and with the paparazzi. But, she'd always been especially protective of Rachel and more so as time went on and their relationship blossomed. Danni actually smiled at het' before she answered.

"Because she needed you," Danni answered. "I told you what happened in that alley and I know that you never told Rachel that I came to you. And, I know that because Santana didn't even know."

"I told you that I wouldn't tell them when you made me promise. I was already planning to get my MFA from Columbia. I had already been accepted. I hadn't told Rachel about it yet, though"

"I know that. I knew all of that. You told me. But, you have to understand what I was going through at the time I never told you my name that night. I came to you at Harvard and told you to go to Rachel, that she would need you and that I had to leave, that I couldn't do it, and she could never know that I came to you. I wasn't supposed to know about you. Santana let it slip and then I pressured her more about you after everything. When I was finally calm enough to leave her, I did. I couldn't stay, not in my state. I know that you don't understand that and I respect that. There was so much going on in my head that I had to deal with. When I left you, I came here. I figured I could come home. I was wrong, oh, so very wrong," Danni told her.

"What happened here?"

"Magic."

"You make sound like that is the answer for everything that has gone wrong in your life."

"Because that is the truth," Danni replied.

"That isn't the answer, Danni. You're using it as an excuse. What really happened?"

"You sure hut you want the long version of the story?" Danni inquired.

"I am Lit major, of course, I want the full story. We've got time, right? No one will be up for a while, so tell me what really happened to you. Make me believe you and then maybe, I'll talk to the rest."

"And, do what? Convince them to go back to New York. I am sure that after what happened last night. Rachel isn't going to let that happen. She is determined even more so now to go with me. Trust me when I say she isn't ready to deal with my reality. She thinks that she is, but she isn't. None of you are.

It is something that takes time for you to understand and come to grips with. I mean it isn't every day that you are told that fairy tales are real and that your friend is from the ever after you never read about. I mean the stories you learned are all true. They are bastardizations in order to help teach, but they are all based on the truth in go back far enough," Danni told her.

"You're serious about that?" Quinn asked.

"Yes, I am. Look I know that seems farfetched and insane, but it is the truth. I don't know how else to tell you about it," Danni stated.

"You lit your hand on fire. Anyone can do that, Danni. It is a parlor trick," Quinn stated.

Danni shook her head. She should have known that Quinn would have looked for the reasonable and most logical explanation to what happened the night before. She wouldn't go to the magic aspect without so ne help and they were alone. Danni knew that she should take the time now to make her understand, show her the truth, but she wasn't sure that Quinn could handle it on her own.

"Fine, let's try it again then, shall we?" Danni questioned.

Quinn pinned her gaze with the best HBIC look she could, but it didn't faze Danni one bit. She sighed as she lifted her hand out to Quinn, palm up, empty. She brushed her sleeve back and turned her hand over a couple of times to prove the legitimacy of the condition of her hand to Quinn. She nodded at Danni and waited. Danni took another breath.

"As you can see, my hand is empty. There is nothing in it. There are no tubes running down my sweatshirt. There is nothing coating my hands at all," Danni told her.

"Not that I can see no there isn't," Quinn replied.

"Then explain this," Danni slated as she snapped her fingers and fire erupted from her fingers before settling in her palms.

Quinn gasped. Her hazel eyes looked up at Danni's eyes and she saw them turning green. She chocked on another breath before she reached out her hand to touch it.

"It will burn you," Danni warned.

Quinn didn't care. She needed to process this information. She needed to know that it was real.

Her fingers felt the twinge of heat before they made it all the way to Danni's hand. She looked up again and saw the green fading from Danni's eyes. She recoiled back, a little more quickly than she would have liked, and she knew that Danni thought that she was scared.

"Can you do more?"

"More?" Danni asked with a very inquisitive look on her face.

"Yes."

"What would you like for me to do?"

"I don't know," Quinn answered truthfully

"How would you take us home?"

"Home?"

"Well, to the house on Mifflin Street."

"Okay," Quinn answered unsure if she really wanted her to do it. "I am not going to hurt you."

"I never said that you would," Quinn said defensively.

"Do you trust me enough to do this?" Danni asked her.

"I'll give it go," Quinn stated with her normal false bravado.

Danni laughed at her. She stood up. Quinn followed suit and wondered what Danni was going to do. Danni reached out and lifted her hands like for a hug. Quinn cocked her eyebrow at her.

"I'm going to have to hold you somewhat for this to work well," Danni told her.

"If you must," Quinn huffed.

Danni laughed again. She knew that Quinn was over-thinking things and slightly scared. There was more to the story that she didn't know. Danni knew that she would have to tell them all about it when they got back to the house. She would start over breakfast. Looking out over the water, she knew that Belle would be up and cooking soon if she wasn't already.

"Relax. It will be easier on you if you do. Now, look into my eyes and just relax," Danni told her as she held the writer close in her arms, but not close enough to be considered a hug.

Quinn did as she was asked. She let her body relax. She stared into Danni's eyes again and watched as they turned bright green this time. She cast a glance just to side of Danni's head and saw a plume of blue and purple smoke surround them. She wasn't sure if she should be scared, but when she saw Danni's smile, she let the thoughts go.

When she smoke cleared, she was amazed to find that they were in the kitchen of the house. Belle let out a small gasp, but she didn't stop cooking. Danni laughed as Quinn and Belle's eyes met and held.

"Morning, Aunt Belle."

"Morning, you two. Hungry? I'll have some pancakes ready in a few," Belle told them.

"I'm going to take a shower. I'll be back down in a few. Feel free to talk amongst yourselves. I am sure that Quinn has lots of questions for you, Belle. There are no more secrets between us, any of us."

Belle nodded at her. Quinn stumbled over to the table and sat down. Before she could say anything, Belle handed her a cup of coffee.

"Drink it. You're going to need it. If she's told you, then you are close enough to her that she trusts you with her life. You should be proud of that fact. There aren't many that she lets that close," Belle told her as she offered her cream and sugar.

"Are you really her aunt?"

"By marriage, yes."

"She has magic?"

"Just like both of her mothers," Belle answered.

"How old is she?"

"I really don't know. In your world, she should be only one. In hers, I have no idea. But for me, she is around twenty eight to thirty if l have to guess. You'd have to ask her though. I am not really sure."

Quinn nodded into her cup as she took a sip. She didn't know what else to ask. She could have all the answers she wanted and she didn't know what to say. Things weren't going to be easy between all of them. They both knew that, but Quinn knew that Belle was unerringly truthful. Quinn wasn't sure if she was ready for the truth, but there were things that she wanted to know, questions that she'd liked answered, and information that could explain so much. All she had to do was ask. She looked across the counter at Belle and picked up her coffee cup as she thought of the questions that she might want to ask now that she had been giving free rein.

Quinn sipped her coffee and watched the auburn brunette. There was a grace in her movements that reminded her of Danni. Quinn could see where she got it from. She still didn't understand how Belle was her aunt, but it didn't matter.

"She's different with you four." Belle said plating some pancakes.

Quinn looked at her quizzically. She sat the coffee cup down on the counter, but held it in her hands. She didn't know what Belle meant about Danni being different. Until yesterday, she didn't have a point of reference to say anything to the contrary. Now she wasn't sure she knew who Danni really was.

"Don't think about it too hard," Belle urged her.

"It is a little hard not to," Quin replied.

Belle nodded. She didn't understand completely because she'd grown up in the fairy tale. She didn't have to learn that the stories were true. She was sure that Coraline (Danni) hadn't give Quinn the full spectrum yet, but she knew that it would be coming. The four women would demand more answers and she knew that Danni didn't think that they were ready for them.

"Go easy on her."

"Easy on her? How am I supposed to go easy on her? The first book that we wrote together for Broadway wasn't a story, was it? It was really her life?" Quinn asked.

"I don't know what book you're talking about," Belle answered as she plated more pancakes.

"A book? It is what we call a play or the written parts of the play in theatre. Danni and I write books. Rachel preforms them. Brittany designs the dances and movements. Santana handles all the legal work and bookings. Then, Danni and I direct the play. We all produce it. We've become a little production company. Well, we're little but we've done a lot in the theatres," Quinn stated.

"If Danni is involved, then I'm sure that you have made a name for yourselves. She isn't known to back down from anything...most of the time. I think she gets that from both of her mothers."

"She loves them, doesn't she?" Quinn asked.

"Yes, very much. Why do you ask? Has she not talked about them?" Belle replied in question.

"No, she has been really quiet about her family life. Now, I guess I understand why. I mean, how do you tell your roommates that you are from a fairy tale?" Quinn asked and then paused before continuing. "She just seems so different here. Like there are memories that she can't escape in this town. Like there is a part of her here that she'd like to forget."

"There are," Belle replied, quietly, still making more pancakes.

"Like what? What happened here that so bad? Can you tell me that?"

"I died," Danni told her as she centered the kitchen, hair dripping wet from her shower.

"Danni?!" Belle stated seeing her standing in the doorway to the kitchen.

"She wants to know what happen, Aunt Belle, and you told me that I should tell them. So, why should I spare her any detail? They want to know that truth about what happened to me. I'll tell them."

"You don't have to tell me," Quinn told her.

There was an uneasy alliance between them. Quinn could see a lot of herself and the inner introvert inside Danni. She knew what it was like to have a troubled childhood. She didn't need to hear about it. She lived it. It was another reason that she understood Danni and trusted her so easily. They had a comradery that many couldn't fathom and all because of their harsh upbringing, always having to be something that you weren't and striving to prove yourself is exhausting.

"If you want to know all the horrors of my life, Quinn, I'll tell them to you. But, I don't think that it should be over breakfast. It would take a few bottles of wine and lots of vodka or in Santana's case tequila. We can save that for another day."

"You still think that I am going to be able to convince them to go back?" Quinn asked.

"I am asking you to try."

"Well, we both know that it isn't going to work. You know how head strong Rachel is and forget trying to convince Santana. She'll demand to go just because you don't want her to. And, Brittany…she loves magic. She'll want to go just see if she can see a unicorn."

"Regina has a herd of them," Belle added, plating more pancakes.

Danni gave her a pointed look, but didn't say anything. She just watched as Belle grabbed another skillet and started preparing some scrambled eggs. She shook her head at her aunt. Belle had never been one to hide anything. Even growing up under her care, Belle gave her enough of the truth without coming right out and telling her that she was the crown princess that the Blackness was looking for. She'd figured that out on her own behind closed doors.

"Not helping…"

"What?" Belle asked, dropping more egg mixture into the skillet.

"See. Even she is wondering why you are putting up such a fuss about all of it. You might as well get used to the idea that we are going with you," Quinn told her and took another sip of coffee.

Danni groaned. She threw her hands up in the air. She knew that it was a long shot, but she was hoping that Quinn would take her side and help. She was wrong.

"Do you remember the song that Rachel sang to you before we got our first backer?"

"No?"

"I'll stand by you," Quinn answered.

As if on cue, Rachel, Santana and Brittany came into the kitchen humming and singing the Pretenders' hit. Quinn just smiled at her lover. She wondered if Rachel had been just been outside the kitchen listening right before she entered. Quinn joined them in the song.

Belle dropped her spatula and smiled. She could see the depth of love that these women gave her ward and she was appreciative of it. She knew that Danni needed a good support structure. She had spent so long trying to prove herself and trying to get the recognition that she so desperately wanted. She saw the same drive in Regina and Emma, but it was so much strong in Danni. She wondered if she would ever be able to completely repair the rift between her and her mothers. Forgiveness was one thing; letting it go was something entirely different.

"So you got some voodoo, no biggie," Santana told her when they finished singing, shrugging her shoulders at Danni as she walked around to the counter and collected a plate from Belle.

"Can you really show me a unicorn?" Brittany asked gleefully, slightly bouncing up and down in front of Danni, holding her hands.

"If she won't, Brittany, I'm sure one of her mothers, her grandmother, or I will," Belle told her holding out a plate for her as well.

Danni turned and scowled at Belle. Her own aunt was against her. She sighed.

"Get over it. You want a diva tantrum, I'll give you one. We've all thought about it. We want to do this. So you might as well realize that you aren't getting rid of us. You've done so much for us…especially me. Let us repay you," Rachel told her as she walked over to Belle to gather Quinn's and her plate.

Danni just stood there in awe as they each took their plates and sat down. She was outnumbered five to one and those were never good odds. She knew that she could just poof them all back to the loft in New York, but when and/or if she came back, they would never forgive her. She wondered if it was a risk that she'd be willing to take. It was, but she didn't know if she had enough magic to actually do it. She sighed. It was going to be a long day.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Quinn stood at the back door and watch Danni moving. It was midday and she was landscaping. Quinn wouldn't have normally found it odd except for the fact that she wearing black and deep royal blue clothes. When she would take a small break in place, she notated the coat of arms on the back of the vest she was wearing. She just shook her head. She knew that Danni had an odd sense on fashion.

"You should go talk to her," Belle said, stepping up beside her.

Quinn turned to look at her. She wondered what Belle was pushing. She seemed to be trying to get Quinn to get closer to Danni ever since they got to Maine. Rachel had always been closer in New York and Quinn wondered if it was because of how the met.

"I know she saved her," Belle told her, taking a sip from the cup of coffee she was holding.

"How?"

"Danni tells me everything," Belle replied.

"Why?"

"I am the closest thing to family that she has ever had a relationship with. Her mothers love her dearly and she them, but they've never been close due to the circumstances of her upbringing. It seems that I am the one that raised her when they died. She was only five. She blames them for her being an orphan and growing up without them. I can't say I blame her with that, but she has been holding that grudge for years," Belle stated.

"I can understand that," Quinn replied.

"I figured."

"What does that mean?"

"You remind me of her and her mother, Emma," Belle replied.

"And what does that mean to me?" Quinn asked.

"You all have something to prove. Each of you have your own issues with your parents and it has colored your world and how you react in it. It is a big chip. I know what that is like. My father wasn't the greatest man. Trust me; I know what it is like to be seeking approval. Danni has been fighting for so long that she doesn't know how to stop. Even when she had everything that she ever wanted, she couldn't stop. She was born into a world where war was a way of life and she excelled at it. I don't even want to know what she has done to make herself this calm."

"What is that supposed mean?" Quinn questioned.

"Last time I saw her was just before she met Rachel in that alley way. She had just killed a man because he threatened the family and the kingdom. She was so disgusted with how she was received because of the ruthless nature of the killing that she ran back to this world. Like I said earlier, she has only been missing for two to three years for us, but I have no idea how long she has been on her own."

"She killed him?"

"Yes," Belle answered.

"No thoughts on that?"

"Oh, I have plenty, but none that I am willing to share with you. For better or worse, she is my daughter and my sister. I will do anything I can to protect her, even lie and fight."

"I understand all that, Belle. I get it. I'd do the same for any of them. They have been my rocks when I needed them. I would never turn my back on them. I would do anything for them and feel like they would do the same for me," Quinn replied.

"I know and that is why she needs you now. You understand the darkness that is inside her. You may not think you do, but you do. I've seen it in your eyes," Belle told her.

"What does that mean?"

"Nothing bad, trust me. But, like me, you know how to deal with the darkness in someone that you love. She doesn't feel worthy of anyone caring for her anymore. That is why she left Rachel after she saved her. She came to you because she knew that you could take care of Rachel. She cared enough to not leave Rachel alone, but she was afraid of herself."

"Why?"

"Because of her magic," Belle stated.

"What does that mean?"

"She really didn't tell you all anything, did she?"

"Not really, no. She just told us that she was from out of town and didn't have any family. There was talk of some disaster or some tragedy, but there were no specifics. Hell, we didn't even know that she had two moms and Rachel has two dads," Quinn said shaking her head. "She's been very private about everything that didn't have to deal with our lives in New York and the theater. She was really easy to deal with, laid back and calm...I've never seen her like this."

"Well, I hope that you never see her mad, then," Belle said.

"Why not?"

"Well out there it would be nothing. Here, with her magic...let's just say that it won't be pretty. Her out there gardening is helping to keep her calm and her magic in check."

"You make it sound like she is the Incredible Hulk or something," Quinn quipped.

"I don't know what that is, but if it is a big hulking mass of anger, then yes."

"Really?"

"Yeah, see what you don't understand about magic could hurt you. She is constantly fighting an internal war within herself. She has her mother Regina's natural anger and the chip on her shoulder from her other mother Emma. But it is even more than that; she is made completely out of love."

"Excuse me?" Quinn asked.

"She is made of love. She is the product of True Love and her base magic stems from that. She has a natural affinity to love and be compassionate. I'm sure you've noticed that in her nature. But, she has become something that she spent her life fighting."

"What does that mean? What aren't you telling me? Why are you skirting around the question?"

"She sacrificed her soul in order to save us all."

"Huh?" Quinn asked. "What does that mean? She doesn't have a soul? What are you talking about? Are you going to tell me?"

"First let me explain something to you about magic. There are two types, light and dark. They are neither inherently good nor evil. They have the capacity for both. It is all in how the user wields them. The thing with Remy or Coraline or Danni, whatever name she is using at the moment, is that she is made from magic and the purest light magic there is our world," Belle started to explain.

"The purest light magic?" Quinn questioned.

"Love," Belle answered simply.

"Love? She is made of magic? I don't get it," Quinn replied.

"Love is the purest form of light magic in our world and she is literally made of it. It was how she was conceived. She does have two mothers and no father. She is the perfect combination of Emma and Regina. Emma herself is a True Love child, conceived normally, but made of magic. It is generally the first-borns that are born to a True Love match that have magic," Belle stated.

"But, she has a brother."

"Henry, yes, he is Emma's biologically, but not Regina's."

Quinn just looked at her. They both took sips of their coffee and continued to watch Danni work outside. Quinn just nodded and Belle sighed. They both knew that she wasn't going to come inside any time soon. Belle knew she had time to continue.

"Anyway, unlike her mother Emma, she was made from love by love and technically is love. She is…well, magic. She was an unexpected gift for them and one that they cherished greatly despite the fate that befell them all. But. Danni...she was always compassionate and loving. She loves fiercely and without reservation. But, sometimes, she can't rein herself in and that passion turns to into anger. The light isn't diminished, it's changed. The only drawback to that is she shares the same blood as Regina," Belle explained.

"But, how?" Quinn inquired.

"Regina...she could sadistic. She had no qualms with hurting someone to get what she wanted. She even had a collection of hearts at one point, but that is another story. The same anger that Regina learned from her mother's severity and rearing, Danni learned from the torture she received from the Black Queen and by taking on the darkest magic in our land."

"The Blackness?" Quinn asked, turning to face Belle completely.

"The Blackness is part of it. I am not sure that it has a name, but it is purely dark magic. It is selfish and dark to the core. It craves power and it craved Danni or Emma. Emma died to protect us from it, but Regina resurrected her. Danni...Danni...well, Danni gave into the temptation and allowed it into her."

"Why?"

"She saw it as protecting us," Belle stated.

"But why?"

"You'd have to ask her. I never got a real answer about it. But, now not only does she have the purest light magic inside her, but the purest dark magic as well. It is another reason that she is so hot and then cold. Sometimes she really isn't in control of her emotions, the magic is. So, yes, I will say that I have been afraid of her and with good reason. She killed a man in cold blood, but it was also justified."

"How could it have been justified?" Quinn asked walking back into the kitchen and setting her coffee cup on the counter.

"Have you ever wondered what happened to the man she beat in the alley because of Rachel?"

"Yes," Quinn stated watching Belle come back into the kitchen.

"Did you want to hurt him?"

"Yes."

"But you didn't seek him out? You didn't hurt him? And, why? Because you knew that Danni had already dealt with it?" Belle asked her.

Quinn didn't answer. She didn't know what she would have done had she seen the man that tried to rape Rachel. They hadn't talked about it in depth the same way that she had spoken with Danni about it. But, that was years ago, surely the hatred wasn't that fresh anymore…

"There was no need for me to do anything to him. Danni and the law had already taken care of him. I was just grateful that Rachel was okay and that Danni had been there for her," Quinn said.

"I guess it is a good thing that you didn't grow up in the Enchanted Forest then," Belle replied.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"Your anger and frustration seeps from you like water from a sponge. I can smell it rolling off of you and that is only because I had to learn to identify certain magics by their smell over the years. That isn't an easy task, but anger and hate are some of the easiest smells to detect. You smell like Ruby does when she is angry with hints of Regina and Danni. You are really close to her, so that is to be expected."

"Everyone has gone batshit crazy here…." Quinn started to say as she began to walk away.

"Think what you want, Quinn, but I know that if you could have you would have taken a punch or two at the man as well," Belle stated and watched as Quinn spun back around.

She stalked up to Belle. Bright blue eyes warred with the hazel until she saw Quinn's ire start to flare. Belle just smiled. She was trying to piss her off and Quinn for the life of her couldn't figure out why. She wanted to slap the smirk of the older woman's face.

"You have no idea about my life!"

"Yes, I do," Belle replied quietly. "Your father wasn't the greatest but yet you wanted to please him. Your mother bowed to your father and fell in line, even if it meant that you got hurt. And, she finally decided to stand up for you, you no longer needed them. You are strong and you are weak. But, you are so used to hiding behind a mask of strength that you forget that it is okay to be weak sometimes and let someone else carry the torch for you. Your father wasn't bad man until he took to the bottle and when he did you learned to stay away, usually hiding at a friend's house and hoping that he didn't notice. If he did, the punishment would be severe. I am sure that if I looked at you back I could find scars of his belt or its buckle embedded there. You never told anyone about the scars or your father, and if you did, you fell out of tree. You've learned that family doesn't necessarily mean blood. Santana and Brittney are your sisters. Rachel is your lover, wife, best friend…whatever name you want to call it. They are your family and you would do anything for them. Danni got added to that list because she saved Rachel. She proved herself worthy of your loyalty in one act, but it was in getting to know her in a dingy apartment in Cambridge while you were at Yale, I believe, just before you announced that you were moving to New York and joining your family there that you met the one person who could understand the horrors and the grief that you hide inside and she gave you something that no one else ever could on a level that no one else could ever touch."

Quinn's eyes were swimming. How could she know so much? She'd only been back with Danni for a few days. The things that she was touching on were things that should have taken months, possibly years for her to have learned.

"Don't stress about it too much, Quinn. Danni had ways of letting me know that she was okay. She kept in touch in the only way that she could…magic. Have you forgotten that she took random weekends to the sea?"

"No."

"She didn't go to the Cape or some touristy place. She came home. Here. She'd meet me in secret at the edge of town and I would help her through. I did what I had to in hiding her true identity, which wasn't easy when you're dating a werewolf."

"But, we're talking about Danni," Quinn stated trying to regain her composure.

"We are. She gets you on a fundamental level that they don't. Don't get me wrong, they understand you, but they don't know what drives you. I do. She does. That is why you need to be the one to talk to her. She'll listen to you because she respects you," Belle told her.

"But, why?"

"She's over four hundred, Quinn. Why don't you ask her?" Belle asked her before stating, "But, the war that she is fighting is the proverbial light against dark. She gardens to clear her head."

"I thought that was why she did all the exercise, yoga, and mediation."

"I am sure it is, but we didn't have all that in the Enchanted Forest. We had war, magic and gardening. When it came to Danni, she was great at all three. And, in her mind, she's preparing for a battle that she isn't sure that she can win."

"With what?"

"Herself," Belle told her.

She reached out, touched Quinn's shoulder and walked away. She knew that Quinn had to think about what she had been telling her. It would take a while before it all seeped in and hit Quinn fully. And, heaven help anyone who was around when it finally did. She knew that Quinn was a volatile mix of emotion. She could see that she'd never learned to express in the healthiest of ways. She watched the blonde as she stood before that patio door.

She walked into Regina's home office. She needed to find some books there that Regina had kept hidden, but she wasn't sure that they were even in the house. She would go search Rumple's house and the pawn shop later, then possibly the library. She sighed as she sat in the monochrome room.

She didn't hear Santana come into the room and sit down on one of the couches. The Latina watched her as she searched the desk. There was something that Belle wasn't telling them and she wanted to know what it was. She knew that Danni wouldn't tell them, but there was something about this whole adventure that raised Santana's heckles in a way she didn't like.

"You can ask your questions whenever you'd like," Belle told her as she continued to search a bookcase without turning around.

"Quinn's special," Santana stated.

"She is."

"She's lived through a lot of shit."

"I know."

"But, there's more, isn't there?" Santana asked.

Belle stopped looking and turned around. She met the fiery Latina's gaze and simply nodded. They were all special in her eyes because they had done something that no one besides Will had done; they got close to Coraline (Danni) and made her care about something beyond her own selfishness. Belle could tell there was more, but she wasn't sure if the quartet was ready for it.

"So, the Enchanted Forest, huh?"

"Yes."

"And, you're like Belle French?"

"That is my name, yes. But, unlike your story, I wasn't a peasant. I was…I am a princess in my own right. My kingdom was almost destroyed during the Ogre Wars and Regina conquered it in her quest for Snow's heart. But, before you ask, I don't consider it home. I am not sure that I ever really did after my mother died."

"Lots of dead parents there, huh?"

"Life wasn't exactly all unicorns and rainbows. It was hard and very…difficult depending on who you decided to support or not. Alliances could make or break a kingdom, sometimes in an afternoon. I want you to forget what you think you know about the fairy tales you were told growing up. Names and places were sometimes the only thing they got right, if that."

"Like…"

"Regina is the Evil Queen from Snow White's tale. She has a name in the books, but it isn't Regina. Also, she was never so vain to think that she should destroy Snow because she was pretty. Regina is beautiful in her own right. Her beauty could lead men into battle and did. Beauty had nothing to do with it."

"I am sure that you could correct the stories and get a strong following in the young adult category. Ever thought about writing? I mean, you know them all and stuff."

"I've already written most of them down. They are in the town library and I am the town librarian. I am also Regina's historian and linguist. I can get some of them for you if you'd like. I am sure that you would like to know what you have volunteered yourself for," Belle stated.

"Nah, I'll leave that to Q and the hobbit. They do all the reading and shit. I like to hit things. And, take care of Brittney. But, that isn't going to help us there, is it?"

"I don't know, Santana. I am not even sure what we are up against. Ruby has never been sick before. It was actually Will's suggestion that someone should get Coraline while Regina and Emma and the fairies did what they could for her. Will has been running her horse to death getting them whatever they needed."

"Will is important isn't she? More than you are letting on? There is something about Will that you haven't told us. What is it?"

"She was the last one to see Coraline before she jumped through the portal and landed in New York," Belle replied as she grabbed a book of medicinal magic from Regina's shelf.

"No, that isn't it. There is something else. Something deeper and more meaningful to Danni. She's afraid of her, but I can't figure out why. Danni has never shown fear in front of any of us, but anytime your drop the name Will, she loses it. Why?"

"That isn't for me to say," Belle answered.

"I will find out."

"I am sure that you will."

"What did this guy do to her?" Santana asked.

" _She_ didn't do anything but love her, like the rest of us," Belle answered before she realized it.

Santana gasped. It wasn't the answer she was expecting. She didn't know what to say. She just stared at the smaller woman. Belle met her gaze, but neither of them tried to break the silence. Finally Santana couldn't take it. She didn't like the quiet.

"If Will loved her so much, why did she let her leave?"

"Why do any of us let Danni do anything?" Belle countered.

Santana just nodded. She understood what Belle was trying to tell her. Danni did what she wanted and what she thought was right. It didn't matter who she hurt in the process, especially if it was herself. Quinn was the same way. Santana just sighed.

"What can we do to help?" Santana asked changing the line of discussion.

"I don't know. You all don't have magic. You don't understand the ways of our world. If you do go back, you'll be in danger, and Danni will spend her time trying to protect you while she tries to save her Aunt Ruby in the process. Her mind will be divided and it is always divided because of the magic. I need to keep her focused and I am not sure that I can."

"We can help with that. We've become very adept at doing that. How do you think that we got so many musicals and plays started on Broadway? It wasn't just sheer will," Santana told her.

Belle laughed. She understood Santana's humor and her need to understand everything about what was going on around her. She needed to be the center of attention, even if it was bad attention. She also knew that she did it to protect the other four.

"There is a lot that you would need to learn if you all still determined to go with us."

"You know that we aren't going to let her do without a fight, so why wouldn't we try and help. What do you need to teach us? And, how long do we have before Danni decides to jump down the rabbit hole again?" Santana asked.

It was that moment when Danni walked into the office. She looked between Santana and Belle. She could only wonder what Belle had told them.

"First we should start with hearts."

"Are you sure you want to start there?" Belle asked.

"Why not? Hearts are the reason for so much of the destruction and issues in our world. Mom used to collect them, remember?" Danni replied.

"Hearts?" Santana asked.

"Yes, hearts, the organs that beat and pump your blood."

"Hearts?" Santana asked again.

"Yes, San, hearts. They are the most important organ in many worlds. Just in ours…well, they have other worldly properties that you might not understand," Danni explained.

"Hearts…"

"Yup," Danni stated.

"Well, I'll go get everyone," Santana told her.

"We'll meet you in the living room."

"Right…" Santana replied as she walked out of the office muttering something in Spanish under her breath.

Belle waited until Santana was out of ear shot before she questioned Danni on telling them about hearts. She knew that Danni meant well, but was starting with hearts going to be the best thing for four women who didn't know until a day ago that fairy tales were real, told completely wrong, but real nonetheless.

"Are you sure you want to start with that?" Belle asked her.

"They won't understand the true importance of magic and what it can do until they understand hearts, Belle. They think they understand but they don't. So far everything that I have showed them could be explained as a parlor trick. Showing them about hearts won't be a trick."

"You're going to show them your heart?" Belle inquired concerning coloring her voice.

"I don't see any other way. You've tried to explain my duality to them, but they can't completely fathom the war in my head. If I show them the heart, then maybe they'll begin to grasp the situation at hand. I can't guarantee anything though. It's been too long since I've had my heart in my chest because I was afraid," Danni told her.

"And you aren't afraid anymore, Coraline…Danni?"

"I'm fucking terrified, Belle. And, we all know what happens when I am scared. We don't have time for that. We have to get some things and then get to Ruby so I can see what I can do."

"No more running?" Belle questioned.

"No, no more running. I am tired. I am old. I need to do this," she told Belle as she walked over to her mother's horse statue.

She moved the statue and touched the wall. A panel opened and she took a small box from the hidden wall niche. She opened it and the loud thump, thump of a heart could be heard.

"Ready?" Belle asked her.

"As I'll ever be," Danni replied tucking the box under her arm and heading to the living room.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

When they entered the living room, Danni could see Quinn stoking the fire. It was warm enough out that they didn't need it, but she appreciated the ambiance that it gave. She watched as Brittney and Santana sat on the couch. Rachel was in one of the leather chairs near the fire. Quinn stood beside Rachel, unsure of where to go, but also unwilling to sit. Belle walked in and took the other chair. Danni cleared off the coffee table between them.

"I know that everyone has decided to go with me. It doesn't matter what I say or do, you've already decided. I know that it out of friendship and I appreciate that. But, as Belle has tried to tell you and I have. Things are not the same in the Enchanted Forest. Magic is very real."

"But, there are unicorns, right?" Brittney asked.

"Yes. Brittney, there are unicorns and I might be able to take you to them."

The blond squealed in delight. Santana rubbed her leg and Brittney realized that wasn't what they were going to talk about. She smiled at Danni and shrugged her apology. Danni just smiled back.

She walked over to the fireplace. She placed the box the mantle. The faint thump, thump of her heart could be heard just barely above their breathing. She turned around and faced them.

"I don't know where to start, but I have to tell you as much as I can so you won't be completely surprised once you're there. You will already be out of your element, even more so than now. Things aren't very gray there. Everything is black or white for the most part, especially in the way that people think. And for people of this realm, that can be a very bitter pill to swallow. I am not trying to frighten you, but you should be scared," Danni told them as she took a step towards the coffee table.

She sat down on it so she faced Rachel. She looked into the little diva's eyes and could tell that she was uneasy about this entire deal. She also knew that Rachel felt like she owed Danni and that she would do anything that she could in order to repay that debt.

"Rachel..."

"Yes," she replied.

Danni watched as Quinn closed the distance between them. She knew that she was hovering protectively around Rachel and Danni couldn't blame her. She didn't know how they were going to react to what she was about to do, but she had to make them understand.

"You asked me how I ended up in that alley and I never completely told you the truth."

"I know."

"But, you don't know why and that is important."

Danni sighed. She reached out her hand, palm up, open and empty. She mumbled some words and a dagger appeared in her hand. They all gasped but Belle. Quinn immediately moved around the chair, but a look from Danni and Rachel's hand stopped her from putting herself between them completely.

"This dagger caused a lot of grief for my family over the years. It used to belong to a man that was almost my Grandfather. He used it for evil deeds and to gain power, but the flaw in the design was that whoever possessed the dagger could control him and his magic. He sought for way to break free from that tenant. He found it and fortunately never got to enjoy it."

"Why not?" Santana asked from behind her.

"Because he died."

"Is he the man you killed?" Quinn asked.

"I was responsible for his death, but I am not the one that killed him."

Belle shifted uncomfortably behind her and Danni felt it. Her heart broke for her aunt, but she couldn't stop. They needed to know as much as they could. Her eyes didn't leave Rachel's. She knew that Brittney wanted to go. Santana and Quinn were loyal to a fault and they would follow her regardless, listening to her instruction because they knew that she knew what she was doing. Rachel was the wild card. The little diva could be unpredictable sometimes.

"What does that have to do with the dagger?"

"This was the dagger that should have transported the power to new Dark One, but it didn't. It fell powerless. There is no magic in it anymore. It cannot control me."

"Control you?" Rachel questioned, leaning forward, trying to understand what Danni was telling her.

"I am the new Dark One to my people."

She paused hoping that her words would sink in and they would realize that she wasn't as good as they believed her to be. She was the Dark One. She had no tether. She had no qualms about killing someone. She had no restrictions. She was the most dangerous Dark One ever.

"And, what does that have to do with me?" Rachel inquired.

"How about I try it this way? Snow White is my Grandmother. Prince Charming is my Grandfather. Their daughter Emma is one of my mothers. The Evil Queen, Regina is my other mother. Needless to say that my family tree is a little fucked up, but that is another history lesson. Moving forward…Rumpelstiltskin was the original Dark One to my family. He'd lived many years before his influence caused the great curse and his eventual downfall."

"What happened?"

"He decided to fight against the powers of True Love and lost. It wasn't until I sacrificed my soul for the sake of my family and to change my fate as a child that I realized that I couldn't hate my parents for dying to protect me. It took a long time for me to come to grips with that and mostly my own sacrifice to see what they had really done for me."

"Which was?" Rachel inquired.

"I became the Dark One. I gave up my mortality in order to house the greatest Dark Magic within my body. The night I came back to this realm, in that alley in New York. I was fleeing my family. Which is ironic because I had only just returned to them," Danni explained. "It was the night that Coraline died. I could no longer bare a name that conjured feelings of love and belonging, and also so much pain. It was the night that I began to draft the persona of Danielle 'Danni' Gallia from the Upstate. "

"Why?"

"I didn't trust myself to be with you that long. I was lucky to have lasted as long as I did. Rachel, you never saw what I did to that man…you never need to either, but it still haunts me the carnage that I inflicted upon him. It was complete overkill and I knew it, but I didn't care. I was afraid of what I had become, but I knew that you weren't going to let me go without a fight. I left knowing that I could come back if I needed to. But I needed time to myself to deal with the ramifications of what I had done to myself…my family and others around me. I needed to find a calm. I knew that you wouldn't fully understand that and you would try to help. You couldn't help me. My heart was slowly dying, figuratively and I needed to do something drastic in order to protect not only myself but others. It wasn't ideal and it was very painful for me."

"What did you do?"

"I took out my broken heart, and put it in a place of safe keeping. I knew that my emotions would suffer, but I'm made from love. It would help me overcome some of it. I wasn't an ideal situation, but the pain…the emotional stress of what I was going through was too much to bear. I couldn't tell you what happened or what I had been through. You would have thought me crazy. I did what I had to do in order to survive, because I am the Survivor," Danni stated.

Santana met Quinn's gaze. They weren't sure what Danni meant by the statement, but they were willing to wait for her to explain. They knew that there had to be a reasonable explanation even if it didn't sound like to them. Brittney cocked her head and gave them all a strange grin. Her eyes immediately went to the box on the mantle. Quinn and Belle both follow the gaze.

"Can I hold it?" Brittney asked.

"If you would like," Danni replied standing.

She took two steps towards the fire place. She picked up the ornate wooden box and turned around. She stepped around the coffee table and sat down facing Santana and Brittney. Her dark brown eyes never left the childlike fancy of Brittney's bright blue eyes. The wonder that shown there and the understanding were a paradox that could only be Brittney. Her empathy for others was on another plane all together. She saw things that others didn't and it made her special.

Slowly, Danni opened the box. She reached inside and pulled out the heart. The beating could then be heard around the room. The strong thump, thump was almost deafening.

Quinn gasped when she saw the half bright red and half darkened heart. She watched as Danni caressed the organ as if it was the most precious thing she ever held. Slowly she reached across the expanse and handed the heart to Brittney. Brittney for her part took the heart with both hands and held it close to her body, almost as if she was afraid to drop it.

"It's warm," she stated breaking the silence.

They were all astonished by the split in the heart. Quinn gave Belle a knowing glance. Belle just nodded and they all just stared.

Brittney shifted on the couch and squeezed the heart. Danni leaned forward, crying out in pain and anguish. The veins in her neck popping as her face turned red. She tried to speak but couldn't as her body contorted and writhed in pain. She almost fell off the table.

"Don't squeeze it, Brittney!" Belle shouted.

She immediately uncurled her hands and Danni took a deep breath. It was the first time that they had ever seen Danni really show any feelings towards pain. She smiled up at Brittney, who immediately handed the heart back over to her. Danni took the heart, but reached over to pat Brittney on the knee.

"It's okay, Britt-Britt. You didn't know. I...it won't kill me. It just hurts like Hell," Danni told her.

"I didn't mean to hurt you."

"I know. I am fine. See. I'm not in any pain."

"You're sure?"

"Yes, Britt-Britt."

It seemed to be enough to calm the blond dancer. Santana looked at her uneasily. She heard the small growl growing in Santana's throat. She knew that Santana was very protective of Brittney and that Brittney hated to hurt anything. There was a fiery warning in the Latina's eyes and Danni heeded it.

"I'm fine. And, the reason, I will always be fine is because of the power of the Dark One. I can't die. It is just one of the perks of having the darkest power known in our realm inside my body," Danni told them.

"What do you mean you can't die?" Quinn asked meeting her gaze again.

"Haven't you noticed that I am not aging?" Danni questioned in response.

"It's not like I stare at you that hard," Santana stated.

Danni laughed. She hadn't been with them long enough for them to understand what she meant. She really wasn't aging. She didn't get sick. She had only gotten hurt when she hit that man in the alley. She didn't know why it was just then, but even she tested her theories about it after she'd returned to Storybrooke after leaving Rachel in New York. What was it about Storybrooke and her that changed all the rules about magic? Was there something that she picked up? Was it the dagger? Was it the fact that she'd removed her heart?

She thought about that for a moment. She should have died as soon as she crossed the town line all those years ago. Maybe it was her duality. Maybe it was because was literally magic. She didn't know. She didn't have the answers and she doubted that Belle did, either. It was a conundrum and one that she would pose to her mother, Regina once they were back in the Enchanted Forest. It didn't really matter now. The only thing that mattered was that they were somewhat educated about what they might face.

"When was the last time you saw me hurt?" Danni asked them.

They looked between each other. Brittney shrugged. Santana looked deep in thought and then met her eyes. The questions were dancing in her eyes, but she didn't answer because she didn't have one. Quinn and Rachel just stared at her. Their eyes were boring holes into side.

"The night the attack…" Rachel said quietly.

"When you came to me after you left New York…" Quinn added, finally betraying the fact that Danni had come to her after Rachel's attack.

As soon as the words left Quinn's mouth, everyone turned to stare at Quinn. Santana and Rachel had an unspoken rule that they didn't talk about it. Months of therapy and many nights crying in Quinn's arms after the "miraculously" appeared in New York had helped Rachel through the ordeal. Santana was glaring at her best friend since they were in kindergarten. How could she have not told any of them about it? Brittney just gave them all a knowing smile.

"Don't be mad with her, Rach. Danni didn't know she was coming back. She was trying to make sure that you were okay. She gave you something that you needed…that you wanted," Brittney told them as she reached out for Rachel's hand.

Rachel took the dancer's hand and then looked into Quinn's hazel eyes. She noted the rich green flakes in the honeyed brown. She was always mesmerized by the gold bits that floated around in them. She felt a soothing calm flowing from Brittney while she was still trying to read the emotions that were swirling in Quinn's expressive eyes.

"You knew?" she asked Quinn quietly.

Quinn never broke her gaze as she stepped around the chair and knelt before her. She took Rachel's other hand and she could the soothing aura that Brittney was given off, flowing through Rachel. She looked at the dancer quickly who smiled, but didn't let go of Rachel's hand, before turning back to Rachel.

"I asked her not to tell you," Danni explained. "It wasn't her story to tell. I gave her enough information for her to go to New York early. She'd already paved a way to you without you knowing. The attack just moved up her plans."

"You were coming anyway?" Rachel asked her surprised.

"I told you before that I was going to school there. I applied to NYU and Columbia for my Master's. I got into Columbia. As soon as Danni came to me, I called Santana to let her know that I was coming sooner than I thought. She didn't tell me everything over the phone, but she told me enough and almost the same as what Danni told me. I was on the next train."

"But…"

"I'd already called Puckerman. He was on his way to see Beth and Shelby in New York. I needed to get my things here. He took care of it for me. I don't know how and I didn't ask. Two days later he handed me keys to a storage shed and my new apartment. Shelby seemed surprised at my quick move, but she never questioned it once she saw me with you. She actually just gave me her blessing, telling me that we had both been through enough and now was our time to be together," Quinn stated.

"But, you were at Yale…"

"I wanted to be with you. Yale is a good school, so is Columbia. I could have both. You and school. I was tired of hiding, Rachel. I wanted to be with you," Quinn explained.

Rachel was out of the chair and in her arms. There were some sobs and sniffles, but they all knew that it wasn't anything that they couldn't get through together. They had all stopped hiding that year. They let their emotions flow. They fought. They made up. But, together, all four of them spent the summer cementing their friendship and making a nonverbal pact to be there for each other no matter what life threw at them. They would always have each other.

"But, when you came back, you never said…"

"I didn't have to, Rachel. I was different then. You could see it. Quinn could see it. Santana could see it. Brittney could feel it. I wasn't Coraline who just appeared in the alley and helped you. I wasn't some random hero. I was a person that was hurting and fighting her own demons. You all recognized it. You pulled me into your group and didn't let go, even though and when you should have. You've made me part of your little family and I have been eternally grateful for that. You don't know how much that meant to me…what you've helped me through, but this is different. This time, it will be me protecting you," Danni stated.

"What against?" Santana asked.

"Everything that you could think of."

"Okay…we'll come back to that, what about the not dying thing? What about that? Why would you say that? I get that you have magic and all that shit. We've seen it, but nothing is immortal, Danni. What shit did you put in your coffee this morning?" Santana barked out.

"There was nothing in my coffee but soy milk and sugar."

Santana gave her a look. Brittney finally let go of Rachel's hand as Danni stood up and went back to the hearth. She reached into the fire and pulled out a small branch that was alit. She held it up in front of her face. They all the saw the haunted mesmerizing stare that she was giving the branch.

"Care for a demonstration?" she asked them.

Without warning, she turned the branch on herself. She burned her arm from her elbow to her hand. She didn't scream out but the putrid smell of burnt flesh filled the room. She knew that this was over the top, but it was nothing compared to what she did to her mothers when she plunged the dagger into her chest. No, this was just theatrical and something that they could understand as they saw it. It was visceral and in their face.

"Stop!" Rachel cried out, almost in completed shock, as she reached out for Danni and the burning piece of wood.

Santana watched on in awe as she rocked a crying Brittney at the scene. Quinn had grabbed Rachel around the waist to keep her from the burning branch. She knew somewhere deep inside her that this was the only way that Danni could convince them of what was to come. She needed to be outlandish and over the top. She needed them to question everything they thought they knew and she needed them to make a choice…one that would affect them all.

Danni pulled the burning branch away from her skin. Rachel looked at the burnt flesh in horror as the charred and blistered skin began to fade from black to pink. Her eyes about bugged out of her head as they watched Danni's skin heal itself and return to its natural color. She held her arm out for Rachel and Brittney to see that there was no damage. Brittney stopped crying and reached out to touch her.

"Go ahead, Britt-Britt. You won't hurt me. I am fine," Danni told her.

Santana let the dancer go and she grabbed Danni's arm. She carefully inspected it to make sure that there wasn't a single hair singed, a blister that needed to be cared for, or a mark left from the demonstration. When she was satisfied that Danni was okay, she pulled her into a fierce hug.

"You don't have to go that far to prove yourself to us," Brittney scolded her.

"At least she didn't kill herself in front of you," Belle stated.

They all turned to the auburn-haired older woman. Her blue eyes were fiercely meeting each of theirs. She wasn't going to back down. She loved Danni and would protect her, even if it was from herself. They all realized how deeply having Danni back in her life was affecting her.

"Belle…"

"There is no time for that, Danni. We need to figure out how we are going to get back. We don't have a lot of time. Ruby is hurting and we haven't figure out how to stop it. Or, have you forgotten why I came back for you?"

"What about Mom and Ma?" Danni asked, not caring that the others were still there.

"We'll deal with that later."

"Are they still scared of me?" Danni questioned quietly, almost defeated.

"It doesn't matter."

"It does matter," Danni replied.

"Would you forsake your family because of one mistake?" Belle asked her.

"No."

"Then it doesn't matter."

Danni sighed. Belle was right. She needed to go home and save Ruby, because possibly she was the only one that could. If she managed to heal things with the rest of her family, then so be it.

"I have a way."

"You do?"

"Yes, it's beside the well. I've hidden them and started a small grove just near the line through the forest. It is so far from town that no one would know that it was there if they weren't deliberately looking for it. I wasn't going to leave completely without an escape plan. You taught me that much. Why do you think that I trusted you with information that I didn't give anyone else? Why do you think I gave you that gift, as small as it might have been?"

"That gift? It wasn't small. It was life altering."

"I could take it back if you wish…"

"Then I would have forgotten you," Belle reminded her.

They shared a look knowing that no one else in the room knew their complete history. Danni was sorry that Belle still continued to know who she was even after her "death." She hadn't meant for the magic to link them in such a way, but Danni learned from that. She never gave anyone else a piece of her magic again.

"Anyway…" Danni started, shaking her head before she continued, "I have a small crop of beans that I have been cultivating. There should be plenty for us to use. And, by plenty, I mean a handful. I know that we will only need one, but taking extra is never a bad thing."

"And, you did promise to take them to Oz," Belle reminded her.

"I don't think that Zelena would be happy to see me. But, a promise is a promise. They are going to be sorely disappointed, though," Danni said walking out of the room with Belle on her heels effectually ending her demonstration.

Santana waited until she was out of the room to ask, "Did she just honestly burn herself for us?"

"She did," Quinn replied.

"Did she say something about taking us to Oz?" Santana questioned.

"Yes, because Brittney and I want to go," Rachel added.

"And, no one sees a problem with this?" Santana quipped.

"Oh, I see plenty wrong with it. But, this is Danni we're talking about. She would do anything for us and we really going to let a few fairy tales keep us from helping her. I mean, I know that she is trying to warn us about the dangers of the Enchanted Forest, but how bad could it really be? We've all survived a lot. I am going," Quinn stated.

"I am in, too," Rachel added.

"I want to see the unicorns, San," Brittney told her with a pout.

"I know, honey, but this isn't going to be some picnic. You all understand that right? We may have to fight something or we might get hurt. Besides we are going to meet her family. I mean, we are going to meet freaking Snow White," Santana said.

"I know isn't it going to be great?" Brittney inquired with her childlike abandon as the rest of them just smiled, knowing exactly what Santana meant.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Emma watched as the grief covered Regina's face. She didn't know what to do. They had done everything that Regina could think of to help Ruby (Red) but she wasn't getting any better. Regina had sent ravens to everyone that she could think of in their realm. She got responses, but they were all knowledge and spells that Regina already had or had tried. They were at a loss and Emma wasn't sure how Regina would take it if Ruby didn't make it.

It had been a week since Belle offered to go find Coraline. She didn't know what good it would do, but she knew that Belle felt the need to do something to help. She watched her pacing in Ruby's room for days before she went to Regina's library. It was scant days after that when she gave Regina her proposal. At first, Emma thought that Regina wouldn't go along with it. It was just such a long shot and it would be difficult to make it happen. She didn't think that Regina would agree, but she did. It had taken them mere hours to get ready. Emma had been quite surprised.

After thinking about it, she shouldn't have been surprised at all. She knew that Regina was looking for a way to track Coraline. They missed their daughter and if Regina could find her, they would go get her. She knew that Belle and she had been holed up in the library going over every book and every journal from Coraline's past to figure it out. She just hoped that they were right. Belle was gone and they weren't any closer to a solution.

Emma had been tasked with watching the mirror for a response from Belle. So far there hadn't been anything, but she hadn't given up hope. She knew that once Belle found Coraline she would make a "call" home to let them know what was going on. She just hoped that it would be soon. She didn't know how much longer Regina could last before she had any news.

Emma left the room. She needed a break. She walked down the corridor and towards the kitchen.

Granny and Snow were at the Stoves making dinner for the family. She was still amazed that even though Snow and David had their own castle in the Summerlands that they stayed with Regina and Emma in the Winterlands for the most part. She liked having her family near. It made dealing with everything a little easier to deal with. She was glad for her mother's support and love.

"How is she?" Snow asked as she entered the kitchen.

"The same," Emma told them as she sat down on a stool at the work table behind the stove.

"Any word from Belle?"

"No," Emma replied.

"Has Regina said anything?" Granny asked.

"No."

"Hungry?"

"Not really," Emma told them.

"You need to eat, child" Granny told her.

"I don't doubt that. I just don't have the stomach for it. My wife is hurting. My daughter doesn't know what's going on. My elder daughter is still missing. My best friend could be dying and there is nothing that we can do right for her now. I feel useless and my magic is suffering. All in all, I am just lost."

"Well, we're here for you, Emma." Snow told her.

Emma nodded at her mother. She didn't know what else to say. She'd needed the break from the room where Red was being kept. She stood up from the stool and made her way out of the kitchen. Maybe she just needed to walk around, look in on things, then she wouldn't feel so…useless and afraid. She needed the distraction.

She made her way into a formal hall of some sort. She knew it had a name but for the life of her, she couldn't remember. That was why she let Regina handle all the politics. But, she saw her father, younger brother and her children in there playing with toy swords.

Henry and David were teaching Remy and Neal how to fight. It was all very comical. Henry would advance on David showing them a move and then Remy would just hit Neal with her sword, smiling proudly at her brother and grandfather. They'd just shake their heads and try again. Neal for only being five years older than Remy was still very patient with her and took each and every one of her hits without getting angry.

"Must be the Charming genes," Blue told her as she entered the room.

"I guess so," Emma mused.

"Still no word from Belle?"

"No."

"It's only been a few days. I am sure she'll find Coraline. She had Regina's mother's globe and a magical map on New York. She had everything that she needed to get to her. She'll find her, if she hasn't already."

"It isn't Belle I'm worried about," Emma stated.

"You're still worried for Coraline?"

"Wouldn't you be? It's been almost three years, Blue. I still blame myself for not being here when she came back with George's head. To be honest, we've been here for a while and I still don't know what I'm doing. I'm the fucking Queen of the Winterlands and honestly being the heir apparent to my parents' throne isn't helping matters."

"That is why they've named Henry as their successor, Emma. You know this. The people wanted an heir and he is your heir. It doesn't matter that he uses Mills as his surname. He is your blood and the next in line. Should something befall him, then Neal, then Remy. We've been over this. I know that it doesn't make sense because of everything that you went through as a child, but they will be okay."

"How can we guarantee that? Hmm? Coraline came from the past to save us all, remember?"

"I haven't forgotten about your daughter, Emma. We all remember who she is now and I understand that her methods may not have been the most helpful, but she did what she thought she had to do in order to make sure that everyone survived. And, they did. Remy is a testament to that. You cannot belittle what Coraline did or would have your young daughter suffer?"

"Never."

"There is also the fact that Regina has released Wilhelmina from her obligation to the family. She has given her knighthood amongst the kingdoms. Even, Ruby named her a Loban among the Ulf. She is not going to let your family falter," Blue explained.

"She is still pining over Coraline," Emma added.

"And, she will for quite some time. They are soul mates and are bonded. The fact that Will hasn't left your family tells me that she believes that Coraline will come back. We don't know what happened between them on the road to finding George, dealing with George or coming back. And, as far as Regina has told Tink or myself, Will hasn't said much about what happened in Coraline's rooms before she jumped through the portal. Maybe she knows more than she is letting on, but I doubt it. If she did, she would have jumped at the chance to go with Belle."

"She asked to go," Emma said.

"And? Then why didn't she? Who told her not to go?"

"Belle…"

"Would Coraline run?" Blue asked her.

"She's done it before. It's in her nature because she is my daughter. If she saw Will…maybe, but Belle, no, she wouldn't run. As much as it is pains me to say it, she has always been closer to Belle. I am glad that she had someone like Belle in her life, but it sickens me to know why. I can't blame Belle for something that she hasn't done, but she was the one that Regina sent with our daughter to raise her, to make Coraline her own, and to give her the life that we couldn't. How can I compete with that? How could I take that away from Coraline? I can't. I won't. I don't care how much it hurts me that she loves Belle and Red like they are her true mothers. She is still my daughter and I will love her anyway. I will do what I can to repair our fragile relationship. I don't care if she never calls me 'Ma,' again. I just want my daughter in my life."

"You sound an awful lot like your mother, Emma," Blue told her.

"I know where she is coming from now."

"And, you didn't before?" Blue asked.

"I didn't want to before."

"What changed?"

"Red being my friend."

"She is a good friend to have."

"She also helped raise my daughter. She was my mother's best friend and she protected her when others wouldn't. She was became one my best friends, before and after the curse broke. She helped me deal with a lot when it came to Mom, but even more so with Regina and Coraline. I know that it was hard for her being Regina's little half-sister and having to hide it. She can relate to Coraline better than I can. Even though we both know what it is like to be the outcast, I never grew up in a wartime situation. I didn't grow up in the Enchanted Forest. I don't know all the rules and I break them all the time because some things here just don't make sense to me. But, Red also knows what it is like for the people you love to be afraid of you."

"And, you don't?"

"I did, but I didn't. I think I was more afraid of myself than they were of me. Henry and then Regina proved that to me. Regina wasn't going to let me go off and do something stupid. I guess I should have realized then that she loved me, but we were both dealing with our own issues," Emma stated.

"But, who came for you when you tried to get rid of your powers?"

"Besides Elsa and Anna?"

"Yes," Blue replied.

"Mom and Regina, followed by Henry and Dad."

"So, your family has never given up on you?"

"Never, no matter what I've done," Emma said.

"Then, don't start by giving up on Coraline."

"I haven't. I won't. I don't care what it takes to get her back. I am not going to let her suffer being the Dark One alone. I can't. Not when that fate was meant for me," Emma stated.

"You don't know that," Blue calmly told her.

"Don't I?" Emma questioned, raising her voice more than she meant to.

She realized this when Henry, David, and Remy turned to look at her. Emma was not known for yelling so when she did, everyone seemed to take notice. Neal gave her a smile and wave before trying to get Remy to engage him again. David gave her a look, but she just shook her head at him. Henry wasn't going to be dissuaded that easily and she knew it. He gave her a cocked eyebrow, so much like Regina's, that Emma had to laugh. It was her laugh that told Henry that it could wait. Emma knew that he would seek her out later to see what the outburst was about.

"He's too smart for his own good," Emma muttered turning to leave the hall.

"He is mother's son," Blue stated.

"Yeah, but which one does he take after?" Emma asked her.

"I am so not answering that question," Blue told her as she shrank herself back down to tiny fairy size and fluttered away, leaving an amused Emma to think about what they had talked about.

Emma sighed. Things were bleak but she couldn't give up. She couldn't let her family down. She had to find something that could help.

She walked through the castle. She found herself in the room with Regina's mirrors. She had one dedicated to different realms so that she could in touch with some of her other worldly allies. Emma still couldn't walk by the mirror to Oz without shuddering. She knew that Zelena and Regina had come to a tentative alliance. They agreed to stay in their own realms and help only if asked. It was the only way they talked. Emma couldn't help but wonder if Zelena had anything that could help them with Ruby. She dismissed it as soon as she thought about it. She knew that Regina had already asked.

The mirror to Storybrooke was still dark. It was like a strange omen that Emma couldn't read. Why was it still dark? Why hadn't Belle activated the mirrors in Regina's vault or house? She wanted to scream at the mirror. She wanted to reach through glass and pull her home. Patience was becoming a problem for her.

She sat in the lone chair in the room and stared at the glass. She was trying to will the connection open. She didn't know if she had that kind of power. She doubted that she did, but she felt like she needed to be doing something.

"It doesn't work that way," Will told her, joining her in the room.

"I know that."

"Then, why do you try it every couple of hours?"

"Because I want news," Emma told her.

"We all do."

"Are you still angry with her?" Emma asked, changing the subject.

"Belle or Coraline?"

"Either of them," Emma replied.

"Not really. I know why Belle went. She was right. She was best candidate to go get Coraline. If any on the rest of us went back, she would have run. Hell, she might run from Belle."

"I know that."

"And, that's why you're scared," Will stated.

"Yes. What if she can't find her? What if she does, but she refuses to come back? Do you think that Coraline will let Red die?" Emma asked.

"No, she wouldn't. She loves her as much as she loves you and Regina. She'll come back and fight for her. Will she stay afterwards? That is the question we don't have the answers to. And, that is why everyone in the family is on edge. Even Remy knows that something is coming."

"I know. She asked me about it last night as I was putting her to bed. She can sense things. She knows that we are worried about Red, but there is something more that we can't explain. I think that worries her. We've never withheld anything really from her, except for Coraline's true identity. I don't know if that was because Coraline asked us to or for our own sanity."

"They are the same person, but then again, they aren't."

"They are both my daughter, true. But, they are vastly different. Remy is still innocent. Coraline…Coraline has decided how close she is going to let us be. She fought for her family and then pushed us all away once she…" Emma started.

"She took the Darkness, Emma. You still can't say that? She did what she felt she had to do in order to protect us all," Will stated.

"You aren't angry with her anymore, are you?"

"Oh, I'm angry, furious even, but I've had time to digest why she did it. I understand it even if I don't condone it. I love her too much to hate her. Does it hurt that she isn't here? Immensely. Does it hurt that she ran away from me? From us? From all of this and those that could have tried to help her deal with it all? Absolutely, but she is just as headstrong as her mothers. I can't fault her from trying to put the family first. She did everything so that Remy would never know the Hells that she's lived through. Am I saying that it was the best answer to her problem? No, I am not. I get it, though. She's had a hard life and it was only going to get harder because of the temptations from the Darkness. You have to understand that much. The temptation might have been too great for her to stay here. She might have needed the world without magic in order to find a peace within herself that she was willing to live with. Why else do you think that she chose to go back there?" Will asked her.

"Because it was the only other realm she knew?"

"That may be true, but she forged some happy memories there. She found her family there. She saved you there. I am not saying that it is perfect, but maybe she felt more comfortable there with the Darkness lurking inside of her than she did here when it was readily available for her to use," Wilhelmina explained.

"Why are you so infuriatingly helpful sometimes?" Emma asked her.

"It is part of being Vulcannonian, I guess."

"If she goes back, will you go with her?"

"Now, that is a question that I can't answer."

"Why not?"

"Because I haven't seen her yet."

"Meaning?" Emma questioned.

"I don't even know if she is the same woman that I fell in love with. It doesn't matter that we are each other's True Love anymore. The Darkness has corrupted her heart and twisted her sense of love. I don't know that I can love her, but I do know that I am not going to let her go so easily this time. We will have to talk. She is the one I am meant to be with, but I can't do that if she doesn't want me. I will not fight her. If she wants me, she'll let me know."

"How can you be so sure?" Emma inquired.

"I am not."

Emma could then see it. She could see the uncertainty in Will's eyes. It had taken weeks before she came out of her rooms and a mild threat from Regina to get her to come back to court. She knew that she was free. She could leave whenever she wanted, but Will never did. She stayed on as a knight of the realm. She still did all the duties that were proscribed to her as the Vulcannonian attached to Regina, but now she did freely and without a contract.

"Do you think that we'll be able to save Red?" Emma asked her.

"I don't know. I hope that we can. I know that Coraline will have the knowledge for the most part due to the memories and knowledge of the past Dark Ones. She is the only one I can think of that could find a way to save her since no one else has been able to help."

"I hope that Belle comes through for us then."

"EMMA!" a voice called through one of the mirrors.

Will and Emma both turned. In the mirror for Storybrooke stood a flustered brunette. Her piercing blue eyes were watching them both warily. She smiled softly when she finally saw the recognition in Emma's eyes.

"Belle!?"

"Yes, Emma, I'm back and I found her."

"Is she coming back?" Emma asked.

"She is willing, but there is a catch, it seems," Belle told them.

"What sort of catch?" Will questioned wondering what Coraline was planning.

"She will come, but she's bringing…"

"Bringing?" Emma inquired.

"Friends."

"Friends?"

"Yes, she is bringing four friends with her."

"Why do I feel that you aren't happy about this?" Emma asked her.

"They seem to good friends of hers, but I am not sure how well they will fit in there. They don't know anything about magic, but they seem determined not to leave Coraline's side. She's asked them to go back to New York, but they refuse. She's tried to make them understand what they may be facing there, and they don't really seem to care."

"But, that's not all, is it?" Will questioned.

"No, it isn't."

"What?" Emma probed.

"She took out her heart," Belle told them.

Emma looked at Will in shock. They both knew what that meant and they didn't know how Regina would act when she found out about it. Cora had done the same thing and gone completely sadistic. They both knew that Coraline was predisposed to having some sadistic qualities in her nature, but they were hoping that the Charming genes would override that. From where they stood, it did. She gave her heart to Neal to save him. But having his half of a heart and removing it, what would that have done to her?

"What?"

"She took it out because she didn't want to feel. It seems that she believes that she failed all of you by killing George. She couldn't take our reactions. She left to try to fight through the hate and the only option that she came up with was hiding her heart," Belle told them.

"Where? Where did she put it? Does she have it with her?" Will asked.

"Yes, she has it. She hid it in a magically created safe behind Regina's horse statue at the house. I don't know how long it was there, but it was. She pulled it out to show the four with her in hopes that it would make them think twice about coming there."

"I am guessing it didn't work."

"No, it didn't. It only made their resolve that much stronger. I think that she has found people that will support her and keep her grounded. As much as she doesn't want to admit it, they help her. Quinn and Santana especially. They are an acquired tasted, but the past few days, I'll have to admit that they have started to grow on me. They remind me of us all. They are all broken in their own ways, but they have each other's backs."

"Quinn and Santana?"

"They are two of the friends that are coming. You might want to prepare Regina for them. They both remind me of her, but sides of her, and they are a force to be reckoned with. They are good for her. I am surprised. They are brash and crude, but they are loving and close."

"I like them already," Will replied.

"Figures," Belle stated.

"Is there anything else that we should know?" Emma asked.

"HEY BELLE! Whoa? Who's that?" Santana asked coming into view.

"Emma, Will, meet Santana," Belle replied.

"Hello," Santana told the mirror and then turned to Belle, "Danni wants to know when she should go get her stash and all. She's packing some interesting hardware and she something about needing to go to her mausoleum at the town cemetery. I mean I know our girl's got issues, but for reals, Belle, I hope she doesn't think I am going in there with her."

"Santana…I'd like you to meet Emma and Will."

"I already said hello, that wasn't enough. Do I like need to curtsey or something? Cause I don't know the protocol on that shit, so what's up? Dude…you're talking to them in the mirror. Is this more of that magic shit that Danni's been talking about, cause this is kinda cool. It's like Skyping on a whole new level," Santana stated.

"It really is," Emma told her moving closer to the mirror.

"Santana, can you give us a few minutes? Tell her that I'll be along shortly. I have idea what she's looking for and I'll go with her. Thank you," Belle said and watched as the fiery Latina nodded before leaving her alone with the mirror again.

"That's Santana?" Emma asked.

"Yes."

"Oh, Regina is going to love this," Will stated sarcastically.

"Belle?"

"Yes, Emma?"

"Who is Danni?"

"Danni is Coraline. She has taken a new name and it what they call her. It is short for Danielle. It seems to fit her here. She still responds to Coraline, but I can see it on her face that she wishes that I wouldn't call her that or that I would do it when we are in private. I am not sure how that is going to work once we are back, but I am sure that we will all sit down and discuss it."

"Does she even want to see us?"

"I am still working on that. She is still hurting and I haven't gotten the bottom of it yet. I think she fears that we are all afraid of her because we know what immense power she actually has. The four of them, her friends, they have no real idea. Except for maybe Quinn, but that is a whole different subject."

"And her stash?" Emma asked with a raised eyebrow.

"It seems that she likes to garden."

"Garden?" Will inquired.

"And, in her gardening, she planted some crops on the edge of the town line, in the forest near the well, in a place that none of us would look," Belle told them.

"A crop of what?" Emma asked.

"Beans…magic beans…"


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Quinn was just getting out of the shower when Rachel caught up with her finally. She was surprised to see the petite brunet, but she was surprised to see the ire in her eyes. She couldn't understand why Rachel was upset about her taking a shower. She slunk after her workout with Danni and Santana.

"What's wrong, Rach?" Quinn asked her, grabbing her towel and wrapping it around herself.

"Were you ever going to tell me?"

"Tell you what?" Quinn replied in question.

"That Danni came to you and told you what happened to me," Rachel stated.

"Probably not. It didn't change anything. I was still coming to New York. I'd gotten in at Columbia and was going to need a place to stay. Once I talked to Santana and she told me how you were, I decided to move up our time line."

"Why?"

"Why what?" Quinn asked her as she slowly got dressed.

"Why did you decide to come to New York?"

"I thought that much was obvious, Rachel. I came for you. Santana told me about your crush and I had to admit to myself that I liked you, too. We'd become friends in the end. I could see you going places and I wanted to help you get there. I am and was content being in the background. Rachel. I don't need the limelight to feel important. I wanted to be there for you. I wanted to show you how much I cared. I wanted to prove to you that you deserved everything you wanted. I...I wanted to prove that I wasn't shallow like Finn had been with you, that no matter what I wanted I would support your dreams and you without any reservation or because I was settling. I did it all because I love you," Quinn said, pulling a t-shirt over her head.

Rachel was across the bathroom and in Quinn's face just as her head popped out of her shirt. She could see the fire in Rachel's brown eyes. She was just about to say something else, hoping to ease Rachel's mind when she kissed her.

It wasn't just a "shut up and kiss me" kiss that Quinn and Rachel had both perfected in their relationship. No, this kiss was heady and needy. It was like Rachel was trying to tell Quinn something and she didn't have the words or a song to express it. Quinn's mind reeled as Rachel continued to deepen the kiss. She reached out and held Rachel around the waist, trying to ground herself and unsure of what Rachel wanted as they continued to kiss.

"I'm still mad at you," Rachel said finally breaking the kiss.

"For not telling you that Danni told me what happened?"

"No, for not telling me why you were really coming."

"So, you aren't mad about Danni telling me?"

"Oh, no, I am, but I already knew that you knew. You had to have known the way you were acting around me. If it hadn't been Danni, it would have been Santana. I also knew that Santana had been calling you a lot more in the last months of school. I just didn't know why. I figured that she wanted to spend more time with you after graduation. You are her best friend. And at the time, we didn't know that Brittney had gotten the job with the record company to dance. We were all moving around in our world and trying to figure out how to stay friends. I should have known after everything with Santana that she would have found a way. She brought you back to me to begin with," Rachel explained.

"I know. She has her own way of showing that she cares. It can be brash and uncouth, but she generally has good intentions. It is just hard for her to express things because of her rocky exterior."

"Unless it's Brittney," Rachel added.

"Exactly, kind of how I am with you," Quinn stated earning herself another kiss.

"Stop talking like that. You know what I could do to you, if I wanted...which I do, but we have things to do. Danni is already downstairs waiting with Santana for you. Something happened while you were in the shower, though," Rachel told her.

"Like what? Was it bad? Is there another problem?" Quinn asked as she reached over to the vanity to grab the pair of jeans that she'd brought in the bathroom with her and put them on doing a slight dance.

"I don't think it is bad, but Santana managed to introduce herself to Danni's mom. I am not sure how Danni is taking it, but Belle seemed highly amused by the whole ordeal. But, I am not sure if that is what made Belle so amused or the fact that she and Danni have been having quiet discussions about things since last night. Danni seems on edge and I don't know why," Rachel explained.

"I'll talk to her," Quinn replied quickly grabbing some shoes and heading downstairs with Rachel on her heels.

She didn't know if Danni wanted to talk, but she knew that she needed to. After everything the day and night before, she knew that Danni was walking on edge. The talks that Quinn had with Belle had left her with an uneasy feeling, especially alter knowing that Danni didn't have her heart. That fact alone was causing Quinn more distress than she was willing to admit, but she was finding her way through all the fairy tale mumbo jumbo. She shook her head and thought to herself, _we just can't have anything normal._

When she got to the bottom of the staircase, Santana was waiting for her. She didn't look upset, but she seemed to be trying to rush things. Quinn nodded at her and grabbed her cell off the kitchen table, running back to the front door. She gave Rachel a quick kiss and followed Santana out the door without asking where they were going or what they were doing. She could see that it was important in the silence and Santana's eyes. That was all that mattered and she knew that Rachel would understand.

As they left the large while house, Quinn noticed the brand new Sheriff's SUV parked in the drive. She hadn't seen it before and it certainly wasn't there early. She didn't want ask Danni because she seemed to be on a mission. She just followed Santana and got in the SUV. Santana got in the back, allowing Quinn to take the passenger seat.

"Do I want to know where we're going?" Quinn asked as she fastened her seat belt.

"Have you even been paying attention the last few hours?" Danni questioned slightly angry.

"Yeah, I have, but I was also dealing with Rachel and then we worked out. So, what have I missed and what seems to be the big rush? And, can you tell me why it is only the three of us going to wherever it is that we are going?" Quinn inquired in defense.

"Umm...how about I met her mother in this really cool mirror that they got and Danni isn't exactly happy about that. Don't ask me why. I don't know. She's been really quiet since then and left to get these wheels. She sand we needed to go find something. I didn't ask where, but there was talk of the cemetery. Q, you know I don't do cemeteries. I don't do dead people. But, besides that, it didn't seem like I needed to. This is her town, Q. She seems to know what she's doing," Santana told her from the backseat as Danni was conspicuously quiet.

"I get that. I really do, but what the hell is going on? I think that I deserve a little more than some parlor tricks and a run. I mean, come on, Danni. We're here for you. Let us help you. Tell us what's really going on. Let us help you. I get that it is hard for you trust people. I get that. I really do. I know that things weren't great for you growing up. They weren't for me either. We uniquely get that. But I can't let anything happen to Rachel and Santana doesn't want anything to happen to Brittney. So, just give me something. I know that you said that your Aunt Ruby is sick, but is there more?" Quinn asked.

"There always is with my family," Danni stated.

"Can I just say something?" Santana interjected.

"Go ahead," Danni stated as they pulled out of the housing area and into the main part of town.

"So Belle was talking in the mirror and all with the magical Skype or whatever, but dude, your Mom is actually kinda hot. What's up with that? She doesn't look much older than us," Santana stated.

"I told you that things were missed up. You didn't believe me. My Ma, Emma, who you so lovingly talked according to Belle, is about ten years or so older than all of you ad that is a long story. I don't really have time to explain it all to you."

"Does it have to do with your heart?" Quinn asked.

"Partially," Danni answered quickly and there was no more given as she continued to drive through town quietly.

Quinn looked out the window. She tried to familiarize herself with everything that they were passing. It wasn't that she was thinking of staying there in Storybrooke, but she was hoping that they weren't going to get stuck in Fairy Tale world. She could see the uneasiness settling into Danni and she wondered what was really going that Belle and Danni weren't telling them.

She knew that Danni could keep secrets. She hid everything about her past from them. She hid the magic. But, the more that Quinn began to think about it, she realized that Danni had a point and a reason to hide it. No one would have ever believed her. Quinn was finding it hard to do so and she'd seen proof.

When they got the edge of town, she saw the cemetery. She felt more than heard Santana start to get antsy about what was going on and she knew that with her beliefs that cemeteries weren't somewhere to hang out. She turned to look at the Latina. Their eyes met and there was a silent agreement that they were doing this for Danni so they could put their issues aside and help her. When Santana shook her head yes, it was all that Quinn needed.

Danni pulled through the cemetery and stopped at a large family mausoleum. There was a symbol on the front of it that Quinn was sure that she'd seen before. She couldn't remember where, but she knew that it was familiar. She didn't realize that she was staring at it until Danni said something about it.

"It's my mother's family crest," Danni said getting out of the car.

Quinn just nodded. She didn't know what to say. She just followed Danni out of the car and walked towards the mausoleum. Santana followed them, but she was obviously lagging behind. If Danni noticed, she didn't say anything. She just went into the mausoleum.

Quinn turned to look at Santana. She could see her visibly pale, but she didn't say anything. Instead, she held out her hand and Santana took it. She knew that San needed her.

"I won't tell anyone," Quinn told her as they entered.

"Thanks," Santana murmured.

They both looked on in rapt fascination when Danni pushed on a vault moving it over. But, that isn't what made them gasp. When they saw the stairwell leading down into the depths, they were a little scared and every horror movie they'd ever watched flashed through their minds as they watched Danni descend into the depths without a care. Santana and Quinn looked at each other and then down the stairwell. Santana shook her head and Quinn started for the stairs. She wasn't going to let anything happen to Rachel. She didn't know why that thought ran through her mind, but she knew that whatever was down there wouldn't hurt her.

She slowly started the descent. She turned to see if Santana was following her. She wasn't. She was still standing at the top of the stairs, staring down at Q, with a grimace on her face.

"Think of B," she told her.

It was all that needed to be said. Santana was down the stairs in a flash. She was mumbling under her breath in Spanish the entire time, but Quinn knew that she would be okay. She'd thought the same thing that she had about Brittney that she had about Rachel. They would do anything for them and Danni would too. She wasn't going to let anything happen to the four of them. Being in the mausoleum wasn't going to hurt them.

Their shock was instantaneous as they neared the end of the stairs. It opened up into what would be an old world family vault and there were ancient looking jars and vases and such in niches in the walls. Quinn looked around and met Santana's eyes. They were huge. The Latina made her way over closer to Quinn as they followed Danni deeper into the crypt.

If they were shocked by their initial view, they were astounded by what they saw next. The crypt opened into a laboratory of sorts and it had a door at the back of it. When Danni opened the door, their mouths dropped. The room beyond was immaculate. It was decorated in the same motif of the living room/office back at the house. It was all black and white.

"What is this place?"

"Home away from home for Mom," Danni replied as she continued to move through the room.

"Do I want to know?"

"She magically built this when some shit hit the fan and she needed a place to stay that no one would look for her in. She sealed the lock with blood magic so no one would be able to get to her in here without Henry or me, so…"

"She made herself a safe room?" Quinn asked.

"In a crypt?" Santana added.

"Can you think of a better place to hide?" Danni quipped in reply.

Quinn had to agree. No one in their right mind would come looking for you in the family vault. It was the perfect place to hide. Plus putting a magic lock on it that kept everyone else out made it even better. She couldn't help but wish that she'd had a place like this back in high school.

"You would have never left," Danni told her.

Quinn just cocked her eyebrow at Danni. She didn't say anything. She knew that Danni could read her. They had gotten close over the past few years, but ever since they arrived in Storybrooke looking for her, Danni and Quinn seemed to be getting closer. Danni just smiled at her, cocked her eyebrow like she was daring her to say something, and went back to looking for whatever it was she was hunting in her mother's vault.

"So what are we looking for exactly?" Santana asked as she headed for a couch to sit.

"You can sit down. I'll get what we need magic wise. Quinn, if you'll grab the green and red bound books over there on the shelf. We should be good."

"All of them?" Quinn inquired when she turned to look at the bookshelf in question.

Danni turned and looked at the shelf. She scanned it quickly with her dark eyes and then nodded at Quinn. She turned back to the cabinet she was looking at and began to go through it.

Quinn just shook her head and proceeded to collect the books. When she realized that it was only about five, she stopped caring too much. She grabbed them and then sat down on the couch with Santana. They both watched Danni move from cabinet to cabinet like she something was wrong. It was like she couldn't find the one item that she needed. It was her movements that made Quinn antsy. They weren't as sure as normal. She looked down quickly at the books in her lap when Danni spun around quickly and crossed the room. It was then that she noticed the title of the book on top.

"Magic Beings in a Non-Magical World," she said quietly.

"What's that?" Santana asked turning to face her.

"The title of the book," Quinn told her, holding up the book and showing it to her.

Santana frowned slightly and took the book from Quinn. She ran her fingers over the gold leafed lettering on the green leather volume. There was no author. She opened it and began to read the pages. Every now and again, she would make a huff or roll her eyes. Quinn held back her laughter, but smiled at her friend, knowing that she was still trying to wrestle her faith with what they had seen over the last few days.

"Can you believe this shit?" Santana asked as she shoved the book back at Quinn.

"What's wrong, Santana? Hit too close to home? Find out something that you didn't want to about yourself? Hmm, S? What is it?" Danni teased from across the room.

Santana reared back and aimed to throw the book at her. As soon as the book left her fingers, Danni waved her hand and the book stopped mid-air and hung there like it was suspended on a wire. Danni just laughed harder at the Latina's discomfort. She waved her hand again and the book sailed across the room to a table and sat down. The look that Santana was giving Danni was priceless.

"Oh, please, S, you aren't going to go all 'Lima Heights' on me. If you were, you would have done it already by now. Do you think that you can carry something for me? Or would that be too much trouble for you?" Danni asked her.

"Don't start with me, Wizard!" Santana told her.

"Don't worry, S. I am not going to do anything to you. But, seriously, can you help me carry some of this stuff?" Danni asked a little more seriously this time.

Santana stood up and walked over to where Danni was standing. She looked down into the trunk by her feet and then back up into the dark eyed woman's eyes. She knew that there was a lot of unknowns that they would face once that got to the Enchanted Forest. _Damn, that's weird to think about,_ she thought, but they were friends and they promised to take care of each other.

"Really? Swords and shit? Couldn't be any more cliché?" Santana quipped.

"They really do work best against dragons and ogres," Danni replied, deadly serious now.

"Um…did you just say dragons and ogres?" Quinn asked from across the room.

"Yes, there are dragons and ogres, unicorns and griffins, trolls and other beasts. Not everything that you read or were taught about fairy tales was made up. It had a basis in real fact, well, fact from my world and reality. And, yes, we have knights and wizards, too."

"So what does that really make you in all this?" Quinn asked, still trying to digest it all.

"I already told you who I am."

"I know who you are, Danni. I know that you are the crown princess of whatever and such, but what does that make us. Who are we to you once we get there? How are we supposed to address you as? I mean, 'cause I'm going to have a problem calling you 'Your Highness' all the time."

"No, no, please don't. I hate that. Because of everything that happened before, which is a very long story that I am sure Belle would love to tell you all, I gave up my crown. Being the Dark One and in line for the throne didn't seem like a good idea. Besides, Remy is there to take my spot. I am merely a knight for my mothers."

"Am I supposed to call you Lady Danni, then?" Santana asked.

"No, there isn't all that protocol there. Well, there is but only for formal events, which we won't be going to. So, you can call me Danni all you want," Danni replied.

"What about the fact that Belle calls you Coraline?" Quinn asked.

"That was a long time ago and a story I don't want to tell."

"Will others call you that?" Santana asked as she started picking up some weaponry.

"I don't know."

"Danni…"

"Look, it's going to be hard enough for me to go home, okay? I don't know how anyone is going to react, least of all me. I've stayed away for my own reasons and I hate the fact that my aunt being sick and no one there being able to help her is the reason that I am going back. I wish that I could tell you something more, but I can't. I am sorry," Danni explained.

"I get it. No worries, Danni. We're just trying to prepare ourselves for this," Quinn stated.

"Just be prepared for everything that you read about in your fantasy books and you should be fine. Grab the books and let's go. We have another stop to make before we go back to the house. And, I have to figure out what else we might need."

Santana and Quinn shared a look and then they both sat down. Danni looked over at them unsure of what they were trying to do, but not happy with the situation either. Both of the former cheerleaders just waited for Danni to say something. When she didn't, Quinn decided she would start this conversation. She knew that Danni wasn't going to be happy, but it needed to happen.

"Danni, we need to talk," Quinn started.

"Now? You want to do this now? I am not sure what kind of timeline we're on and you want to stop and talk. This is great, just great. Sure, okay, what do you want to talk about?"

"Look, I am not trying to make you mad. We're trying to figure this thing out okay? You came into our lives when things were pretty hectic and we let it go. We didn't push and we didn't ask for too much of your background. When things finally slowed down enough for us to ask, and we did, you just gave us some generic answers. Rachel and Brittney wanted to know why you were still so guarded and upset by whatever and we, S and I, knew enough to let it go. But, we can't anymore, Danni. We just can't. It's been eating at you for years, probably more than I want to know about, but you've got to talk about it. You've got to let it out."

"I know that we aren't the easiest to talk to, and I don't do feels, but she's right, Danni. You need to tell us what's going on in that magical brain of yours. I get wanting to rip your heart out to make the pain stop, but from what I gathered taking your heart out doesn't stop your brain."

"No, Santana, it doesn't," Danni replied.

"So, you've been living with this for a while and not dealing. NO, don't even," Santana started raising her hand at Danni. "I can still see the pain in your eyes. So spill."

"I don't know what to tell you," Danni answered.

"The truth would be good. I mean, we're following you to some magical world with things beyond our wildest dreams and your butt hurt over something. So tell us," Quinn added.

"I left after I killed a man, but you already knew that. He was threatening my family and I had to destroy him so I did. But that wasn't the only thing that I destroyed that night. I destroyed my only chance at true happiness. I walked away to protect them all and in the end curse myself to be alone and unhappy. Part of me is okay with that and the other part isn't. I want love. I want a happy ending. I want all of it, but I guess being who I am and what I've been through that I am not destined to have it. I will always fight for my family and I will always make sure that Remy has a better life than I did, because she deserves it," Danni told them.

"And what about you?" Santana asked, trying to hide the fact that she cared.

"I don't matter. I am sure that Will has moved on. I can't be what they need. I couldn't love them any more than I already did, but somehow…somehow that didn't seem to be enough."

"Who's Will?" Quinn asked.

Danni turned sharply. Her eyes flashed green and her fists clenched. There was an air of warning between them, but she could see in Quinn's hazel eyes that she wasn't going to take the warning. Danni didn't want to do this. And, she damn well didn't want to do it now. They needed to go. They had things to do, places to be and all that.

"No."

"Danni…"

"No, Quinn, not now," she told her, grabbed some things and headed out of the room, not waiting to see if they followed.

"Guess we'll just have find out once we're over the rainbow," Santana said following her out.

"We're not going to Oz, S. We're going to the Enchanted Forest. Besides, didn't we already cross the rainbow when we all came out?" Quinn asked trying to lighten the mood as they walked up the stairs and out of the Mill family crypt.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

Rachel sat on the back deck with Brittney. They were drinking tea and looking out over the yard. Belle was inside cooking dinner and waiting for the other three to return.

Rachel let out a breath, a little louder than a sigh. Brittney turned to look at her, questions in her blue eyes as she watched Rachel breathe. Finally, it hit her. Rachel was upset about something.

"What is it?" Brittney asked her.

"What is what?"

"You're upset and it has to do with Quinn. Why? What's wrong?" Brittney questioned.

"It's nothing."

"Rach...talk to me. I can tell that it's bothering you. Just let it out and then you'll be able to go talk to Quinn about it. You can't bottle it up. You'll both end up saying things to each other that you don't mean. And. you both know that I don't like when y'all light," Brittney told her.

"I know that, Britt, but I think that I am just being irrational. I'm seeing something that isn't there and I'm letting my imagination run away. I'm sure it's nothing," Rachel answered.

"You're talking about how close Danni and Quinn are?"

"Yes," Rachel admitted a little ashamed.

"Don't worry about it, Rach. We both know that Quinn loves you. She wouldn't do anything to jeopardize your relationship. She is close with Danni, yes, but that is because they understand each other on a level that we never will," Brittney replied.

"I know they both had hard upbringings, but I can't help but feel that Quinn seems to be happier with her than she does with me. I know it might seem silly, but I do. I have nothing to base it on but her relationship as with you and Santana. She isn't like that with you guys," Rachel countered.

"She was in high school. She was scared then and she isn't as much now. She was scared for you after the attack. She swore to Santana that you would never be alone again. She made us promise to shadow you until she got there. She wants to make sure that you are sate. She cares for you. She'll do anything for you. Rachel and you know that. But, Danni...well, she can communicate with Santana and Quinn on an emotional level that we don't understand. Our parents loved us. We weren't always seeking their approval or love. Danni had other reasons, but both she and Quinn have had to tight for everything that they have. They've fought and bled for it. They are going to continue to fight for it. They don't take 'no' for an answer until they have exhausted every possible avenue. That's why they work well together," Brittney explained.

"But they seem like soul mates!" Rachel stated.

"They may be, but only as friends. Listen, Santana would kill me for telling you this, but she missed Quinn when we were all in school. She needed her friends. She needed someone to back her up. She understood that Quinn went to Harvard on her own to prove herself, that's why San went to New York. She needed to prove to herself that she could make it in the Big City. She wanted to get out of Lima and living with you and Kurt was the only way she thought she could."

"She gave up her scholarship for New York?"

"And, she survived. Ohio was strangling her without any support. I was at MIT and Quinn was at Harvard. She decided that she would come to you because you were a link to Quinn. She didn't know how strained things had become between the two of you though. She assumed that you two were still talking then," Brittney answered.

"Things were a lot different after I got to New York, for everyone it seems."

"To be honest, Rachel, you were the one that kept everyone together. Without you and glee, we all fell apart. We didn't want to admit it. We weren't ready for real world like you were. Santana was floundering in Cincinnati. My limits were being tested and pushed at MIT. Kurt and Blaine were trying to get things work. You grew up really quickly and made something of yourself. Everyone else just kind of faded into the background."

"You mean until everyone tried to move in with us in New York?" Rachel asked.

"Exactly. We all needed our Berrilicious to help us figure things out. You were so well put together and so sure of what you wanted that you went for it. The only other one of us that had that kind of ambition was Quinn and she was New Haven not talking to anyone. She cut everyone off because she thought that she would start over and be herself. There wouldn't be this stereotype following her around. It wasn't until Finn died and we all came back to Lima that we understood what was really wrong with us. We all lacked true direction. You gave us that. You gave us something to light for."

"I didn't do that. You all decided what you wanted and went for it. I never did anything for you.

"Yes, you did. You made your way in New York. You proved to us that we could get out and not only survive outside of Lima, but we could thrive. We could follow our dreams and be big stars or be well known behind the scenes. I looked at things differently then. I realized that I wasn't happy at MIT and I still loved San. I fought to get her back, thanks to you and you pushing her to fight for me. That would have never happened if it wasn't for you."

"And, Quim?"

"Would have still been pouting in New Haven to a degree if San hadn't pushed her," Brittney said.

"What does that mean?"

"It means that she liked you in high school. She was just afraid to admit it. Plus with her father who could blame her? She needed a break and a new lite. Once she had one established, she started talking to Santana weekly in New York. She was trying to figure out how to win you over. She wanted to...what's the word she used...oh, yeah, she wanted to court you. She wanted to prove to you that she was worthy of your affections and your esteem. Her words, not mine." Brittney stated.

"Why didn't anyone tell me this?"

"It would have ruined the surprise," Brittney replied matter-of-factly.

Rachel shook her head. She knew that Quinn had suddenly shown up towards the end of their senior year in college. She had started making more trips to New York on the weekends. She spent every moment she could with Rachel and not Santana.

"She really did all that for me?"

"Yes, silly, that's why I know that you don't have to worry about Danni. Danni is just a friend. Besides, Danni is still hung up on some person named Will. She talks about her in her sleep. She doesn't think that me and Santana know, but we do," Brittney told her.

"Who's Will?"

"We don't know, but we think that it is someone from her world. That's why we never met them. Whoever it is, they did a number on her or she did a number on them. But, she can't shake 'em."

Rachel just nodded. She could understand what Brittney was saying even if she didn't know what had Danni so bent out of shape when it came to whoever Will was. The more Rachel thought about it, the more she wondered how Brittney knew and she didn't.

"How do you…"

"When we stay over at your place, we stay in the room with her, Rachel, remember?" Brittney answered cutting her off. "Besides, nothing ever happens. We get so drunk that San passes out. Will always helps me get her into bed. And, yes, it is usually after she breaks down and cries about something. Danni has always been there for us. We never brought it up because we didn't know what to say. I do know that she loves them. That much is obvious, but I don't know what happened to them that is keeping her so torn up. That's her story to tell."

"I know that, Britt. I am not asking for that. I just...I still get worried that someday someone is going to come and Quinn is going to leave me. I still don't understand why she loves me the way she does. She wasn't exactly my biggest fan in high school. She still has nightmares about slushies sometimes."

"I am sorry for that and I wish that she'd told you sooner, but you know how Quinn is. More of the point, you know who her father is. It is amazing that she is as sane as she is. I saw how much she changed after she moved back in with her Mom after having Beth. They got close again and she started to repair some really old wounds. If it wasn't for her Mom taking her back in, I am sure what would have happened to Quinn. She was lost for a long time, Rach. It wasn't until Senior year, after the accident I saw the Quinn that San and I became friends with back in grade school."

"I know all that. Brittney. I am just wonder about what being in that world is going to do to all of us. I know that the magic aspect of it is cool, but we really don't know how to function there. There may be rules of etiquette that we don't know and we may make fools of ourselves. Do you want that? Because I don't. We don't know how we are supposed to approach her parents, much less the fact that they are the Queens of this realm. And, then there is the fact that her grandmother is Snow White," Rachel said.

"Don't worry about them too much," Belle told her as she joined them on the back deck. "Emma was raised here. She'll cover for any breaches in etiquette that you might make. And, trust me, she's made them all. Regina corrects her still almost daily. It is actually quiet amusing."

Rachel looked at her dumbfounded. She wasn't sure what to make of Belle some limes. Knowing that she was the lover of Danni's aunt and someone from that realm, she was a little concerned that they didn't more about what would happen once they got there. Rachel decided to finally just ask out right.

"So, what protocols should be worried about following?"

"Direct aren't you, dear, Regina is going to love you. Well, that depends on how Danni plans on dealing with you all once we get there. She is still considered a crown princess to the realm even though she doesn't accept her title. She's like Emma in that way. She doesn't want it, but she wants her family. She is a conundrum just like Regina can be. But as far as protocols, don't worry. Like I said, Regina will give you a pass. They aren't so hung up on them anymore. The only time they worry about them is for formal dinners or when friends from other kingdoms come to visit. But, I doubt that Regina is going to have a state dinner while you're there. The biggest thing to worry about is what is going to happen once Will and Danni get alone. That is going to be when the fireworks fly. And, fact of the matter. Will knows that she's coming back to help with Ruby," Belle told them.

"Will knows we're coming with her?" Rachel asked, suddenly very concerned about the situation.

"Yes, Rachel, I did inform Emma when we spoke that you all were all coming. I figured that she would want to warn Regina about Santana and Quinn. No, don't worry. She'll like them. But, if I didn't give her fair warning, my friend might be a little upset with me," Belle told her.

"Why is that?" Brittney asked.

"Besides the fact that she is the Queen?" Belle quipped with a laugh. "She's also Ruby's older sister. She is a dear friend of mine. She is Danni's mother. She has a lot to deal with and she tends to overreact sometimes. I like to keep her in the loop. Surprises don't always work out well or in her favor. I don't believe that there is anything wrong with you four. Honestly, you remind me of the four of us. And, after seeing you with Danni, I can understand why you are all friends."

"Really?" Rachel questioned.

"Yes, Rachel, I can. You are all special in your way and you each give Danni something. She draws strength and stability from you all. Even in the craziness of everything that is going on, she has been relatively calm for her. She can't help her want to over analyze and overreact. It is in her nature and with her having so much power at her disposal..."

"Keeping calm and collected is a wonderful thing?" Rachel inquired.

"It is a blessing," Belle stated.

"But that still doesn't explain who Will is or why Danni is so upset about her," Brittney added.

"That is a long and complicated story."

Rachel sat back in the chair. She looked over at one of the empty ones, giving Belle a look, asking her to take the other chair and tell them said story. Belle looked from Rachel to Brittney and saw the pleading look in her eyes. There was just something about Brittney that Belle couldn't say 'no' to, and she realized that the others couldn't either. She decided not to tight it. She sat down.

"I don't know where to even start. There really isn't a good beginning to that story. But, I guess the best place to start is here in Storybrooke about five years ago. I believe that you were all still in your little town, in Lima. Coraline, as she was going by at the time, landed, literally here in town just outside the Abbey were the fairies lived." Belle started.

"Fairies?" Brittney asked.

"Yes, I believe Blue and Tink will be there for you meet once we get to the castle."

"The Blue Fairy and the Tink as in Tinkerbell?" Rachel questioned for qualification.

"Yeah, they are friends of the family. Well, actually, Blue is the fairy godmother for Snow's clan and Tink is the fairy godmother for Regina s. so...they are both the fairy godmothers to Coraline, Henry, and Remy, now, too. Because Regina married Emma, Blue tried to help Ruby when Tink couldn't help her. But, that really has nothing to do with the story." Belle explained.

"Wow..." Rachel said quietly.

"I told you. Forget what you know. It is all just half-truths and filler. Names and place arc mostly correct, but well, you'll see for yourself," Belle stated.

"Will they teach me to fly?" Brittney asked.

"I am sure that Tink will if you ask her nicely. And, if she won't, get Coraline to ask her. She'll do it for her. It is like she can't refuse her. Well. Blue can't refuse her either. She has a way with fairies."

"I am sure she does, but the stony," Rachel urged.

"Tink and Blue found her and healed her."

"Healed her?"

"She had suffered a lot before she found her way to us or back to us really. I know that she won't mind me telling you the story because she told me to answer any of your questions, so... She is from the future. Regina and Emma are her mothers, but she hadn't been born yet. In her time line, everyone but Ruby and I died in a massive battle with a dark, evil entity called the Darkness or the Blackness. She was coming back to save us all from it," Belle stated.

"But, somehow she got cursed?" Rachel asked because she had been following everything that Belle and Danni had been saying since they got to Storybrooke.

"Yes, but that was well later. She hid among us, not telling us who she was. She wanted to learn more about her family without them knowing who she was and treating her any differently. She was in town, posing as mv sister and working at my family's flower shop for six months, before anyone learned the truth. She even talked like me with an accent. We had no reason to doubt her."

"What happened?"

"She used magic and Regina caught wind of it."

"She confronted her, didn't she?" Rachel asked.

"She did. And, that is when things got tricky. She ran away because she wasn't ready to face her

mothers. She was around twenty-five at the time. The last time that she saw them she was five and she almost watched them die. It was the first time that she used her power and she was scarred by that memory. Somehow I think she believes that it is her fault that Regina died that day, besides the fact that she blamed Regina for sending her away to safety and not coming with her."

"She sent her away?" Rachel questioned. "That is why she's so worried about me and Shelby...Things are starting to make a little more sense. I thought that everything she told us was just glossed over because she didn't want to talk about it. Now, I know it was because of the magic and the pain."

"Yes, well, Regina fought her tooth and nail to have a relationship with her. But, it was amazing. When things got bad for her, she ran to Regina for help. Regina was surprised, but it brought Emma and her together more quickly. They bonded over their daughter and their son. The love between them had been there, but they fought and bickered, trying to deny it until with the arrival of Coraline they couldn't. I don't think they realized how bad they loved each other until Blue couldn't deny that Coraline was both Regina's and Emma's. She was their child. And, for the all the magic in all the realms that they knew, the fairies couldn't explain it. They just knew that she was created from Regina and Emma's magic. She was their child. She was conceived by them, carried by Regina, and born in the Enchanted Forest. She wasn't born here."

"And, that bothered them?" Brittney questioned.

"No, but they were curious. Coraline told them of her history, her rearing at my and Ruby's hands, the destruction of the Blackness, and her torture by the Black Queen who had taken over in her retreat. She was the only royal spared. The Enchanted Forest had its apocalypse and she was tired of hiding and hiding her time to retake her throne, a throne she didn't want, but a throne of leadership that she already had earned, and was ready to use."

"She was captured?" Rachel probed.

"And, tortured for sixty days before she magically broke free and found herself here in this realm. She was confused, but she'd read about it in Regina's journals. She knew a little about her family, but she knew that Emma thought that Boston and New York were important. After Regina caught her using magic and questioned...lightly...she ran to Boston to find one of Emma's old friends. She was a fellow bounty hunter, and she was actually the one that taught Emma the job. For Coraline, it seemed like a win-win situation. She could learn more about her elusive mother without causing too much fuss."

"But, Regina went after her," Rachel stated more than asked.

"Yes, she and Emma went to find her. They wanted to bring her home, talk with her, learn more about her and the fate that we were so doomed for. They wanted to prepare. She had the knowledge but she wasn't sharing it with anyone. She was determined to solve the mystery of the Blackness on her own."

"So what does this have to do with Will?" Brittney inquired.

"She was he bounty hunter that trained Emma."

Rachel gasped. It was not the crazy turn that she expected. Nor was she expecting Will to be female.

"What happened in Boston?"

"She met Will before she knew who Will was at bar."

"She didn't? Did she? Did they? Tell me she didn't," Rachel demanded.

"She did. They did. And, it was very awkward afterward for all of them. But, upon learning that Coraline was Regina's daughter. Will hid."

"She has history with Regina?" Rachel asked.

"Yes, you could say that. She was...is...was Regina's personal guard, knight, whatever you want to call her. She was the one you had to go through to get to Regina. But, due to some prophecies and other magical complications, Will left Regina's employ and came here."

"But…"

"She's immortal," Belle said simply.

"But..."

"I told you this was complicated. But, her being immortal doesn't matter. Because she'd met Coraline, Will couldn't leave her. In our world, Will is a Vulcannonian. It is a race of immortals. For some they were knights. For others they were an army for hire. For Will, she was a friend, a scapegoat, and a whipping post for Regina, but she was always there for Regina. She kept her in check. Vulcannonians generally mate for life, so her sleeping with Coraline and wanting to do so again caused some issues between the former Queen, her knight, and her daughter."

"Oh, this is getting good. We should have popcorn. This is better than a movie," Brittney said.

Rachel smiled at her friend. Belle looked at her questioningly, but smiled when she saw the usually gleefulness and innocence in her bright blue eyes. She magicked herself a drink and took a sip.

"Yes, well, be that as it may, it isn't a movie. This is Coraline's lite. Well, Danni's life, her history, her past and she loves Will. She can't deny that. She didn't try to until after she became the Dark One. In our world…the strongest magic is True Love. It is what created Coraline. It is what drew Will and Coraline together, but due to the fact that Will was still bound by contract to Regina, they couldn't be together until Regina gave them her blessing," Belle explained.

"She withheld it?" Rachel asked.

"No, she finally relented. She released Will from her obligation to the throne. But, Coraline had become the Dark One. She'd faked her death and took all the memories anyone had of her. She thought that it was for the best. She searched out ways to light the Darkness inside her, but eventually she came back to the Enchanted Forest," Belle stated.

"But you knew who she was?" Brittney questioned.

"I did, because of some magic that she did before she faked her death. I was the only immune to her spell, but we didn't know that at the time. We are linked, Coraline and I. It is another reason we are so close. She may not be my real sister or my daughter or my ward, because I never lived through the Hells that she did, but love her just the same as she had been."

"I can tell she loves you just the same, too. It's in your body language and eyes. I can see it."

Brittney told them. Belle blushed at Brittney's comments. She knew that Coraline cared for her. She loved her and they would do anything for each other. That is why she knew that she was coming back for Ruby and not for herself. Coraline was coming back out of duty and love for her aunt, not her entire family. She also knew that it was going to be a sore spot with her mothers, but she didn't want to think about that, now.

"Will is her True Love and since she's been released from her bond to Regina. They are free to be together, but after everything that happened with King George, Coraline fled. She was afraid of herself and what everyone else thought of her. She couldn't take the stares and it had only been a few hours after she'd come back with George's head, literally. She had a pocketful of beans and we didn't know. I don't know if we could have even stopped her, but Will tried. She tried to use their love, but like my former husband, she let the Darkness consume her. She thought that it was safer is she found a way to contain the dark magic in herself. She fled because she loved Will enough to let her go. She knew that the pain she would feel would be enormous. She knew that Will would be pained by their separation, but she hoped that Will would give her the time she needed to find her way back. And, for her part, Will has," Belle told them.

"But, what will happen when she sees Will again?" Brittney asked.

"I don't know. And, if she doesn't put in her heart, I fear what it will do to Will more than her. Will might not show it, but she aging because she doesn't want to live without Coraline. If she can't find a way to be with her, it might actually kill her. I know that Coraline doesn't want that. She even tried to break their bond with magic, but True Love can't be just magicked away. The only thing to stop True Love is death. And, since they are both immortal...Will is going to be in pain for a very long time."

"Is there something that we can do?" Rachel questioned.

"I don't know. She loves Will. I know she does. I was hoping that her years away would soften her some, but I am not sure that it has enough. Trust me. I've never been afraid of her. Neither has Will or Regina. Emma uniquely understands her more than she thinks, but Coraline is just so damn stubborn that she won't see the help that is front her when she needs it. That is why I am glad you are coming."

"Why?" Rachel inquired.

"Because you all temper her in a way that her family can't. There is no standard that she has to live up or meet with you except to be your friend. She is freer with you than I have ever seen her with us. Mind you, we only had her for a little over a year total. You've had her longer than we have," Belle answered sadly.

"Then we do everything we can to make her who she was and earn Will's love back," Brittney said.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

Emma took off running through the castle. She needed to find Regina and she needed to tell her the news. Belle had found Coraline. She was with her and she was coming back with Belle to see what they could do about Ruby. Emma felt like a giant weight had been lifted from her. Coraline was coming home. It may not be under the circumstances that they wanted, but she was still coming.

Emma would chalk that up as a win, and it was a win that they desperately needed. She didn't even think about the fact that Will had been in the room with her. She just ran. Her thoughts were only about her family and helping Ruby. She didn't think beyond that and she hadn't been thinking beyond that since Belle left.

She burst into the room where Regina was holding vigil over Ruby's body. Regina turned up from the bed. Emma could smell the magics flowing around the room.

"'Gina!" Emma exclaimed.

"Emma...calm down," Regina commanded, letting the slip of her name go. "I appreciate that you are excited about something and I am sure that it is important, but there is no reason to yell. We are the only ones in this room. Now, what would you like to tell me?"

Emma hung her head, properly chastised, but she perked up as soon as she heard Regina tell her to give her the news. Her smile lit up her eyes and Regina could only wonder what it meant. She turned a little more fully to face Emma, but she never let Ruby's hand go.

"Belle just called, well, used the mirror. Anyway, she let us know that she found Coraline and she will be coming back to see what she can do for Ruby. But, Belle also wanted to-"

"She's coming back?" Regina questioned cutting Emma off.

It was at that moment that Will came in the room. She was excited as well, but she was a lot calmer and more collected than Emma had been. She smiled softly at Regina and then moved to the side, always on guard, always waiting. Regina returned her soft smile, but then focused back on Emma.

"I'm sorry, Emma. You were saying? Please continue," Regina told her.

"Belle got her to agree to come back. I don't know if she's staying, but she's coming. They hope to be here soon," Emma replied.

"Why do I feel like there is more that you aren't telling me?" Regina asked.

"Because there is," Will added.

Regina cocked her eyebrow at Emma, who gave her a smile in response. She shrugged. Regina and Will both smiled at the gesture, knowing why Emma didn't lead with the other news.

"So what else do you have to tell me?" Regina questioned.

"It seems that Coraline is coming back with four friends," Will stated before Emma could.

"Four friends?"

"Yeah," Emma answered.

"Do they know about magic?" Regina asked.

Will and Emma both shrugged. Regina let go of Ruby's hand and stood up. Even with her short stature, Regina was still imposing. This was no different. It wasn't just Regina, mother of Coraline that stood before them in that moment. She was the Queen, and she wasn't exactly completely thrilled with the notion of non-magical beings coming to the Enchanted Forest for a visit.

"Why?" Regina asked as coolly as she could.

"It seems that they help Coraline stay grounded," Emma said.

"And, what do you think?" Regina asked Will.

"I won't know what to think until they are here, Regina. You know that. However the one that made an appearance during the conversation seems to be...well...interesting to say the least," Will stated.

"Interesting how?" Regina inquired.

"She reminds me of a crass version of you, my Queen," Will replied smiling.

"Really?" Regina questioned, cocking her eyebrow and giving her a knowing smirk.

"A very young and brash version of you, yes, Regina," Will stated.

Regina gave her a knowing look, but nodded in response. She turned back to Emma, who had been watching the exchange and waiting for Regina to get upset. When she saw that Emma was waiting on a reaction, she decided to say something else.

"Do we know exactly when they are coming?"

"No, but Belle did seem to think that it would be in the next few days. If Belle has her way, I am sure that it will be within the next day or so. But, we all know that time works differently there. It might already be tomorrow for them," Will added.

"How are they getting back?" Regina inquired.

"It seems that Coraline has taken up gardening," Emma started.

"Gardening?"

"To help her relax, Regina," Will added.

"But gardening what? What is she growing? And, why is that important to her coming back here?" Regina questioned, but they could also see that there were more questions that she wanted to ask, but was waiting on responses for those first.

"She has a crop of beans," Emma stated.

"Beans?" Regina asked as if she didn't believe what Emma had just said to her.

"Yes, magic beans. It seems that she has been growing them for some time. I don't know how long, but they are growing on the outskirts of town in Storybrooke. Belle said that they had to go collect some beans and they would be here as fast as they could. I am sure that there will be more planning into their travel, but yes, magic beans will be how they get here," Emma told her.

"She has a crop of beans? She plans for everything, doesn't she? Somehow she knew that she would come back to Storybrooke over the years. She is too smart for her own good," Regina stated.

"She is our daughter," Emma quipped.

"That she is and she will need to know how much we love her. I don't want her to question that again. I don't want her running. I know that she is afraid of upsetting things because of Remy, but damn it, she is still our daughter. I don't care that we changed the time line. I am not letting her go without her knowing that. Send word to whoever we need to. I want the borders closed once she's here. I know that once word is out that my other 'Vulcannonian' has returned audiences will be wanted. I don't care. We won't have time to deal with any of that. I only want to be worried about Ruby and Coraline. Is that understood?" Regina asked them.

"You want to close the borders?" Will questioned.

"Regina, that's not a good idea. We can't close the borders just because Coraline is coming home. It isn't going to keep her here. We need to talk to her. So, we limit who we let in the kingdom, but we can't cut it off. There are merchants and traders that need the borders open to live. We can't do that. We don't want to alienate the people just because of our daughter. I know that I wouldn't want that. You wouldn't want that. Let's just wait until she gets here and we'll talk to her," Emma stated.

"Do you think that talking will work? I don't. She ran. She's a runner like you," Regina said and it was obvious that everything was getting to her in that moment.

It had finally all caught up with her. She'd lost her daughter to the Darkness. Her sister was lying beside her and she was helpless to heal her or even figure out what was wrong. One of her best friends had gone back to the Land without Magic in order to bring her daughter home in hopes that she could help her aunt get better. Regina hadn't gone. She'd sent Belle in her place because she was afraid. And, a frightened Regina was a dangerous Regina. She knew that about herself. She knew that she would lash out, but now, she'd finally cracked a little.

"That may be, but she is also half you. She thinks things through better than I do. She doesn't always go in completely head first. We need to give her time once she's back. We can't push her. We just need to talk to her," Emma told her.

"I know that," Regina replied with a slight anger at Emma's tone.

"Then calm down. I'll talk to her about staying. You need to worry about Ruby, but you also need to give Coraline the leeway that she needs in order to help her. And, you need to be able to support her no matter what she says or does. She needs to know that she can come to us with anything. If we can't do that, then we have no business wanting her to come back to stay," Emma explained.

"Regina, you are going to have to let go of everything that you know and just love your daughter. You can't be hung up on trying to make her stay. That is a decision that only she can make. We can only give her our love and hope that she wants to have a relationship with us. She has been on her own for so long and fought for everything that she has. She isn't going to take to it too well if you try to dominate her. We have to treat her with kid gloves. You need to pretend that she is a teenager and just be there for her. She is going to mess up, and it is going to be monumental, but we can't let her think that she is alone anymore. She has to know that we care and that we will be here for her," Will said.

Regina looked at them. She studied her wife and her friend. She looked at her knight and oldest companion. She saw the worry in their eyes. It was more than she wanted to deal with. They were on edge and she knew that they had to have a reason. There was something that they weren't telling her and she knew that in had to do with Coraline. It was more than her four friends coming with her. It was deeper, darker.

"What is it that you aren't telling me?" Regina asked Will point blank, knowing that Will wouldn't refuse to answer the question or circle around it like Emma might.

"She took out her heart, Regina. She didn't want to feel anything anymore after she jumped through the portal. So, she took it out and hid it in your manor in Storybrooke," Will answered.

Regina gasped. She was on her feet and pacing quickly. She knew what that could mean for Coraline and she was afraid for her daughter. But, then she remembered the look in Will's eyes. She was hopeful. She knew that whatever Belle had told them gave them hope about Coraline's visit.

"How long?" Regina questioned after swallowing hard.

"We don't know."

"Is she bringing it back with her?"

"I believe Belle has already packed it in case she didn't."

"Do you think that she'll put it back in once she gets here?" Regina asked, trying to be hopeful.

"I don't know."

Regina just shook her head. She knew that Will wasn't lying. They would have to wait and see what Coraline did once she was with them. She looked up at Will. They had a silent discussion.

"I will do what I can for her, Regina. You know that. I will always fight for her and for you. I've never stopped. But, we have to remember that this is her life now. She has to make the choice," Will told her.

"I know," Regina replied simply.

Emma went to her. She gathered Regina into a full body embrace and buried her nose in her wife's hair. She hoped that the gesture would calm her, but she wasn't sure that it was working.

"Go to bed, Regina. I'll stay with Ruby. You need to sleep."

"They will be here today, won't they?" Regina asked, hoping against her own mind's doubts.

"I don't know but probably. Belle wants to come back, but she's being smart about it. She is letting Coraline lead things. She knows how risky bringing Coraline back is. She's doing what she can for us and for Ruby. She hasn't lost sight of that, Regina. Coraline is coming home, but we need to respect her and let her do this her way. We cannot pressure her. We can't push," Will replied.

"I understand," Regina told her.

She broke away from Emma and walked over to Will. Their eyes met, fierce blue and dominate brown. Emma just watched them. She knew that their relationship was normal but she never faulted them for it. They grew up together under Leopold's rule. Their bond was strong and one that Emma would never think about trying to break. She could only hope that it would help them with Coraline.

"I'll see you in the morning," Regina told her as she turned around and reached for Emma's hand.

Emma took her hand and they headed out of the rooms where Ruby was being cared for. As Emma passed Will, she clasped her on the shoulder and nodded her head. They were friends, coworkers, queen and knight, and mentor and student, but through it all, they were still close.

"I'll let you know if there is any change...in either situation," Will told Emma.

"I'll probably be awake. Let me know if anything changes or if Belle calls. I'll have them bring the mirror in here. I don't care what time," Emma said and they left.

True to her word, once they were outside the room, Emma found the closet page and had them move the mirror down to Ruby's rooms for Will to have nearer to her. She knew that Regina would have it moved back later, but for now, it was where it needed to be.

She held Regina's hand as they walked thru the castle. They stopped at the old East Wing. It had been pretty much closed off since Coraline left. The only ones that went down there regularly were Blue and Tink. Occasionally, Tink found Remy down there and she was always in Coraline's personal room.

Emma sighed as they neared. It was like a ghost town in there. Time had stopped and the world stood still there. No one bothered anything. The maids and servants that cleaned always made it ready for her to come back. It was like an unspoken rule and no one dared ask about it.

Regina pulled Emma down the corridor to Coraline's suite. Even as a knight she was afford more luxuries than others that stayed at the castle, but Regina had given her the wing because she was also their daughter and an adult. Regina had spoiled her in the few days that she'd lived with them, more so than she had with Will, who had her own section in the Royal wing.

"What, Love?" Emma asked her when they came to a complete stop before her door.

"We need to add to it."

"Add to it?" Emma questioned, giving her a quizzical look and not understanding what Regina meant fully by adding to it.

"Yes, add to her rooms," Regina informed her.

"Add to it, how?" Emma inquired.

Regina gave her a look. Emma held her hands up in surrender as Regina entered the suite. She swept through the rooms surveying everything. Emma just moved near the main room's fire place and stood. She was admiring the family portrait that Belle had commissioned that hung over the mantle. It was their favorite portrait because it had Coraline added in with them, but alter she'd left. They moved it into her rooms. For some around the castle, it was like Coraline had died and the royal family couldn't cope. The rooms in that wing had become a shrine to the missing knight and princess, but no one questioned the legitimacy of her claim to the throne or being Regina and Emma's daughter.

"She is bringing friends, so she'll need more room. Your mother, father, and brother are already taking up the South Wing. We've got Ruby in the North Wing with Henry and some of the knights. I figured that she would like the wing to herself. Don't you?"

"I think it would be a good idea. It will let her know that we are giving her the space she requires while reminding her that we care. But, what do you want to do to her rooms?"

"I think we should add a few more rooms."

"Tonight?" Emma questioned because of the seemingly rush that Regina was putting on it.

"We can use magic to create them, or do you have a different idea?"

"Well, Regina, I think that she has more than enough room in the suite to house four people. There are three bed rooms in here, with her study and this living room. Why don't we make the rooms a little more hospitable? We don't really need to add to the castle," Emma told her.

"But, she'll need the room," Regina countered.

"Are you sure? We don't need to be wasting our magic on this, Love and you know it. You feel like we should do this because she is coming back. If she wants to change it, she will. We both know that she can handle that. I know' that you are conflicted right now. Your sister is sick and we don't know how or why. And, our daughter is coming home. Let's handle each situation as it comes and not over analyze them. We needed to just roll with it. It will take care of itself and we won't be completely stressed out over it."

"You're right," Regina stated reluctantly, but she knew that Emma was thinking a little more clearly about everything that they were going through right now.

Emma went to her and kissed her. She tried to pull her out of the room, but knew that Regina wasn't going to leave anytime soon. She looked into her eyes and saw the pain, the pain of everything was finally weighing down on her, and Regina looked like she might break. It killed Emma to see her that way, but she knew that there was nothing that she could do to help her. She needed to see Coraline and she needed for Ruby to get better. There was nothing else that could help her right now.

"I'll make a fire," Emma said releasing her and going back across the room.

"Do you think that they'll want more modern accommodations or?"

"I think that we should wait until she gets her and let her decide," Emma reiterated.

"I just want to spruce it up some."

"Then do that, but don't go making any big changes. Let Coraline do that. I can tell you that you might want to create some clothes for her friends. I am sure that they are going to want to fit in. But, we don't know what they look like, so...you're guess is as good as mine in that department," Emma told her.

Regina just looked at her. She knew that she was overreacting but she couldn't stop herself. She hung her head. She knew that Coraline would be able to make any changes that would be needed. She knew that Coraline would make her friends clothes to fit in. She wasn't needed. It hurt, but it was her reality. She knew what Snow felt just after Emma broke the curse. She wasn't needed no matter how much her daughter loved her.

"She still needs us, Regina. Don't think like that. She just needs to know that we care. We can't smother her. We can't force her to stay. We have to give her the option. And, we have to think about the fact that she has made a life with these people. There are her friends and we have to treat them as such. We will welcome them and we will do whatever Coraline needs of us."

"I know that, Emma," Regina told her.

"Then, let's go to bed."

Regina looked over at her. She could see the worry and the love in Emma's eyes. She knew that Emma was just as worried as she was about the coming days. There was nothing that they could do and that was just not acceptable to Regina. She needed to do something as much as Emma did. Coraline was like the situation with Red though. And, for once, Regina didn't know how to approach it.

Raising Henry and now little Remy had taught her so much about parenting and being a parent. She sure couldn't thank her mother in that department. Emma had always been by her side and together they gave Remy the unconditional love that she needed. Sure they spoiled the girl, but then again so did the entire family, all the way down to Henry and Neal. Remy couldn't help but be loved. That is why Coraline was so frightening. They loved her. They all did, but Coraline had grown up in a different world. She stumbled into love the same way that Emma did. And, while that was endearing and adorable, it also made it hard for her to accept the love that Regina and Emma offered her without reservation.

"She'll see reason this time, won't she?" Regina asked her.

"I don't know. We both know now that she has been traveling to other worlds if she has the beans. Maybe she's been looking for something to end the Darkness inside her. We don't know, Regina. We just don't know what she's been through."

"She'll tell us, right?"

"I hope so, Love. I do. I hate to see both of you like this. We'll talk to her. It is all we can do. And, maybe, just maybe her love for Wilhelmina will help her find her way back to us…even if she doesn't stay. Hopefully she will see how much we love and she'll stay in contact this time."

"That is putting a lot on Will, Dear," Regina told her.

"I think that the crazy Vulcannonian can handle it."

Regina smiled. She reached her hand out for Emma, who took it. They looked around the room and then back at each other.

"She'll be okay, right?"

"I am sure she will, Regina. But, she'll be upset if you don't get some sleep. As scared as she is, she still loves us. We need to be there for her and we need our sleep now. Will or Belle will let us know if there is any change in Ruby or if they show up. Come on to bed, now," Emma told her as she pulled her towards the heavy oak door at the front of the suite.

Regina just nodded and walked with her wife willingly. She knew that Emma was right. They would have to wait until Coraline came back to them. It had been almost three years. What was another night now that they knew she was safe and coming home? She could sleep with that thought in her mind. Tomorrow, she might be able to see her daughter again. It would have to be enough until Coraline decided that it wasn't. Regina squeezed their hand as they walked back through the corridors of the castle to their wing, to their suites and to their bed.

What they didn't see on their way was a very wide awake Remy in the hallway just outside the East Wing. She knew that something was up inside the castle besides the fact that her Aunt Red was sick or cursed or something that her mothers couldn't heal. She heard the quiet conversation between her mothers as she slinked her way down the corridor to a heavy oak door. She opened it and slipped inside.

She'd been in there before. Belle knew that it was her hiding spot when she didn't want to be found. Red had sniffed her out several times. They both always found her sitting on the one the couches, before a roaring fire, and staring up at the family portrait that had her older twin in it. She couldn't understand why she was always drawn to Coraline, but she felt safer in those rooms than she did in her own.

She knew that she should go back to bed, but she couldn't make herself leave. The fire was still going in the fireplace. Emma had left it to die out. She looked back up at the portrait.

"Why do you always stay away so long, Coraline? And, why don't Mom and Ma know that you've been back? Why doesn't anyone? What happened that made you go away?"

She never got an answer. She knew she wouldn't and for a child of barely eight, she could have sworn that magic would allow her to talk to her sister. But the magics that she tried never worked. She wasn't as gifted as her mothers. She was struggling with her magic and she didn't know why. She couldn't figure out what it was. She was the child of True Love. She was made of magic, or at least that is what everyone told her.

She got up and walked over to the lone mirror in the room. She took in her long ombre hair. She couldn't believe that just a few years ago that her naturally bright blond locks had started turning dark underneath, so now her rich dark brown hair flowed into a beautiful honey blond. She truly was made from her two mothers. Her dark eyes stared at themselves. The green flakes were becoming more vibrant with every spell to the point that her eyes were almost hazel. She wondered what it all meant. Was she destined for something more than they were telling her? She didn't know. She shook her small head and turned to leave the room.

She hoped that the rumors she'd overheard were true. She wanted to see her Aunt Belle, but she wanted to see Coraline more. She hoped that she was really coming back, even if it wasn't to stay. She needed to talk to her sister. She could explain things in ways that her mothers and the rest of the family couldn't. It was like they were almost the same person, just separated by time and magic. Coraline was the only one who could assuage her fears of the fearsome Blackness and its diabolical Queen. She didn't know why the dreams were getting stronger. She just hoped that Coraline could make them go away again.

She had just closed the door when she heard it. The loud sound of magic and crashing. There was some cursing, words that she shouldn't know, but that Henry said under his breath when Mom and Ma weren't around. There were voices, voices she didn't know and then she heard two voices that she'd recognize anywhere as she hid behind a tapestry in the corridor. Belle and Coraline were back.

A few minutes later, Belle left the room in a huff. She looked like she was on a mission. Remy walked back across the hallway to the door. She heard Coraline talking to some other people. She couldn't make out what they were saying, but she waited until the voices died down before she went back into the room.

Once back inside, she made her way to the main bedroom of the suite. She saw Coraline. She was unpacking a small duffle and hanging up her sword and bow. She must have heard her come in because she turned around, facing Remy. That was when Remy saw it. She'd changed. She wasn't as hard. She seemed happy and calm. The Darkness that surrounded her wasn't as strong and Remy didn't know what it meant but she hoped that it meant that she'd stay.

"Couldn't sleep?" Coraline asked her.

She shook her head.

"Get it bed, then. I'll be back in a few minutes. I got to make sure the rest are taken care of, okay? Don't worry, Remy. I'm going to make sure that everything is okay," Coraline told her.

Remy just nodded as she scurried across the room and into the giant bed. True to her word, Coraline came back in the room a few moments later. She striped down out of her strange clothing and grabbed something out of her closets. Once she was redressed, she got into the bed and gathered Remy up. She curled into her twin sister's body and fell asleep in seconds.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

They had been back at the house for a few hours. The sun was down and Belle was back in the kitchen making dinner. Santana, Brittney and Rachel were outside nursing a bottle of wine. Quinn was watching them all. She looked around realizing that she didn't see Danni. About the same time that it dawned on her that Danni wasn't around them. Belle looked up giving her a knowing look. Quinn's hazel eyes met her blue eyes. They had a silent conversation.

It amazed Quinn how much she could convey with the woman, especially alter only knowing her for few days. There was just something about Belle that reminded her of Rachel and Danni both. Maybe that was the reason they got along so well. Maybe that's why they understood each other. Whatever it was it didn't matter at the moment. They were both worried about Danni and they both know that she was going to need their support.

She nodded at Belle. Walking across the kitchen, she went to the fridge. She grabbed two beers and headed up the stairs with them in hopes of finding Danni. She found her in her room packing some duffel bags. She didn't stop when she heard Quinn come in.

"Can you hand me that bag there?" Danni asked as she kept packing.

Quinn just nodded. She handed her the bag and a beer. Danni took a long pull off the bottle before setting on the bedside table. Then she went back into the closet, coming back out with her arms full of clothes. Quinn tried not to look surprised by all the leather and velvet, but she was.

"Are we going to have to wear that?" Quinn asked her, sitting down in the chair in the corner of the room, watching Danni move around quickly, efficiently and with a terrible motivation.

"That depends on you and Mom, but I doubt it. You might find it more comfortable once we get there, but I am sure that I can conjure up something for you to wear. If I don't, I know that Ma or Mom will...well, more so Mom than Ma, but you know what it doesn't matter," Danni answered.

"Hey, calm down. We're going with you, remember? You aren't going to be alone. Look, I know that going home is hard. I get it. But, do you seriously need the sword?"

"I don't know if I do or not, but I'd rather be prepared," Danni stated truthfully.

"Danni..."

"Look, Quinn, I appreciate that you are worried. I appreciate that you care, but there are things about that world that you just don't understand. Yes, I am the crown princess. Yes, I am a knight of the realm. Yes, people will bow to me and treat me like royalty. Doesn't mean that I like it, because I really don't. I don't like the popularity and what it can get for me. It isn't how I was raised. I fought tooth and nail for what I got and I've continued to do it. I earned my knighthood through blood, sweat and tears in my timeline, only to have Regina knight me in this one before she knew who I was. I thought that I could be at court and protect my family without any feelings getting in the way. I was wrong and I killed a man because of that. I let my feelings get in the way of logic. I can't do that again."

"No one is asking you to, Danni. I may not have gone thought what you've been through, but I understand going home like this. I've been there, done that, a couple of times and each time my mother welcomed me with open arms," Quinn told her.

"Yeah, well your mother isn't the Evil Queen," Danni quipped.

"Neither is yours, if what you and Belle have both told me is true," Quinn stated right back, daring her to contradict her with a cocked eyebrow.

"Quinn...are you planning on following no matter where I go once we get back there?" Danni asked as she stopped packing and turned to face the blond that was sitting in the corner.

"I don't know, maybe. Look, I owe you for Rachel. I'm I gonna help you whether you want me to or not. So, you best just tell me what I need to know an order to do that." Quinn told her.

"Well, first of all you don't owe me anything for Rachel. The guy was a creep and stupid. I am sure that she would have sprayed him or something had I not just suddenly appeared in the ally. But, that isn't the point. The point of the matter is can you handle a sword?" Danni asked her tossing one of the blades that lay on the bed at her.

Quinn caught it. It was awkward for her, but she held it up. She stood up with it, spun it around, and then tossed it back at Danni.

"I think I could if you taught me," Quinn told her.

"Could you kill someone?"

"If you'd known me in high school, you wouldn't be asking that question," Quinn stated.

"I am being serious. Quinn. I am sure for as much bravado that Santana has and the fact that she believes that she could harm someone more than just as a prank, she wouldn't be able to handle it. Could you? I need to know that. Because you see, things aren't as a gray as they can be here. Things are literally black and white, life or death. Growing up here is going to hinder your thinking. Are your going to be able to let go of everything you know and do whatever I tell you, when I tell you and how I tell you to do it?" Danni asked her.

"You're the director," Quinn quipped.

Danni shook her head. She knew what Quinn was trying to say. It didn't matter if Quinn could handle it or not, she was going to be by Danni's side. She knew that Santana would be there, too. They would go off will Danni on adventure while Brittney and Rachel stayed behind. It was some misconception of nobility and protection for them, but it was their chivalrous side. She wouldn't be able to stop them, no matter how much she tried. She'd resigned to that fact in the family vault, but it didn't stop her from trying to make them see how wrong they were about a world they thought they knew.

"This isn't a joke. Quinn. People die there every day. They don't have medicine like we do. They have magic and magic can't cure everything. Sometimes all they have is a wing and a prayer."

"Sounds like fun," Quinn quipped.

"You are being really cavalier about this, you know?" Danni replied.

"It doesn't matter if I'm scared out of my mind, Danni. We've all made a decision and we all plan on keeping it. I know that you think that you are protecting us, but who is going to take care of you? Who are you going to go when things get hard? You took your fucking heart out for Christ's sake, and that was just to deal here. What are you going to do there where your magic is stronger?"

"You've been talking to Belle," Danni said as she started packing up her clothes again.

"Yes, I have. You've been extremely vague since we met. I get it. I do. I understand why you couldn't and didn't tell us everything. We would have had your committed. We would have thought you insane, well, Brittney wouldn't have. She would've been the only one though. Eventually Rachel would have told us that you were completely unhinged. And, in a way you are, we all are, but we are friends and we help each other. We aren't going to let you do this alone and the sooner you realize that you're stuck with us, the sooner you can actually start teaching us what we need to know," Quinn told her. "And, I don't mean how to hold a sword. The important stuff, Danni, like about your heart."

"How about I tell you about my family?" Danni countered.

"If that'll help, I'm waiting to hear more," Quinn stated, getting comfortable.

"Well, as you know my Mom was the Evil Queen. Her name is Regina. This is her house. She was the mayor here before they got sent back. Ma is Emma Swan. She grew up in this realm in foster care. It is a sore spot with her that she didn't ever get a family of her own until she came to Storybrooke. I guess I should thank my older brother for that. He's Henry. Mom named him after her father. She adopted him after Emma gave him up because she was just seventeen. She was a kid and knew that she shouldn't be raising one, especially since she didn't have a real job or place to stay."

"Sounds like me. I like her already. What about Will? Who's Will, Danni?"

"That is a complicated story."

"We've got time and I'm not going anywhere."

"Will is...was...Hell. I don't know what she is to my mother anymore. Wilhelmina is Vulcannonian. She is a princess in her own right and she's the sworn knight to protect Mom. She's been at her side since Regina married Leopold, who was my great-grandfather and Snow's father."

"You weren't kidding about your family tree being really complicated, were you?" Quinn asked.

"I told you. You thought your life was complicated. Try having a mother that cast a curse and tell in love with someone almost thirty years her junior, but she never aged because of said curse. That's always fun. Oh, yeah, and my Ma parents are just barely older than us because of the curse."

"Well that's fun."

"Yeah, having a thirty five year old Snow White tell you to do something and she expects you to do it because she's your grandmother is awesome. Let me tell you all about that. Thankfully, when I was growing up in my Hellish timeline she was already older, like in her sixties, so it didn't affect me as much as it does now. It is strange to be the same age as your parents and grandparents. But, that is the least of our problems. I have to figure out what is wrong with Red," Danni told her.

"I get that and we'll figure it out. But, Danni, that still doesn't explain who Will is. Look, I understand that talking about there may be difficult for you because it is so different from what you remember and what you grew up with, but we'll figure it all out. We always have since we've been together. I am not going to let something like a stupid fairy tale stop me. Now, Rachel may not know about the nights you've woken up screaming out for Will, but Santana, Brittney and I do. San told me that she saw her in the mirror when Belle was talking to your Ma, Emma. So, care to enlighten me about her?"

"Damn it."

"Nope, start talking."

"Fine. She was my mother's personal guard for so long. She did things that Mom couldn't until she ran away. She fled because she started have feelings for my mother. Except that wasn't really it. She was drawn to my mother because of me. She couldn't leave Regina's side without causing herself pain, but she did it. Don't ask. All I can say is that it is a Vulcannonian thing. She found herself in this realm. She moved to Boston and became a bounty hunter. She was really good at it. Her knightly skills and other training from the Enchanted Forest made her uniquely qualified for the job."

"But?"

"Oh, it gets better. After Ma got out of prison and gave up Henry, she ended up in Boston. She was broke, had no place to call her home, no job, and no kid, but she did have a record and a Yellow VW Bug. She ran into Will, and for whatever reason. Will took her in. She trained her and helped her get set up as a bounty hunter, too," Danni told her.

"Okay, wait...Emma, your Ma is a bounty hunter? I thought she was the town sheriff, or she is the other queen or whatever. So...never mind...what happened between Will and Emma?"

"Nothing. Will helped her get started and they went their own ways. Will stayed in Boston when Henry found Ma and brought her back to Storybrooke. When I showed up, I went to Boston to try to find Will. But I didn't know that was her name. I also didn't know that she was Wilhelmina, either."

"Why do I feel that there is a longer story here?" Quinn asked her.

"Long story short, I went to a bar in Boston, got drunk off my ass and ended up in Will's apartment the next morning. And, yes, before you ask, we had sex. During my illustrious walk of shame, Emma called to see if Will would help her find me since they figured out where I'd run off to," Danni said.

"Oh, I am sure that was a fun a reunion."

"Will left as soon as she knew that Regina was coming or at least around then. Somehow she found her way to Storybrooke, and we reconnected. We started dating, if you will. She was actually courting me because I am a princess and such. But, Mom, well, she wouldn't release her from her contract as a Vulcannonian Guard. I think she was scared. It doesn't matter now."

"Why not?"

"Because I became the Dark One. I love Will. I do. But, I have so much Darkness inside me, now. You weren't there when I killed George. I did it in front of her. There was no remorse. There was no feeling. I did it in cold blood. Quinn. I killed a man and I don't care. I would kill him again if I had to do it over," Danni stated.

"I am not asking you that. What happened between you and Will? Why are you so afraid to see her?"

"Because I still love her, even without my heart. I still love her. There is like this missing piece inside of me and can't explain it but I feel like she is the only one that can feel that gap. But, the biggest problem with that is that I have technically been born. Remy is me but in this new timeline that I've helped create. She should be the one that Will is imprinted on, but she isn't. It is still me."

"O...kay?"

"Vulcannonians imprint of their lovers and they mate for lite. They are immortals, so...they can chose to give up their life. It's all very strange and I don't know all the ins and outs of it. Will imprinted on me after our one night stand. I figured that after I faked my death and went to learn how to deal with all the Darkness inside me that she would just imprint on Remy, but she didn't. It seems that we are really soul hates. We were destined to meet and be together, but I left after I killed George. I know that it is tearing us both up, but I can't be with her until I can trust myself with my magic and my power."

"You don't trust yourself?"

"No," Danni replied quickly and simply.

"Why not?"

"Can you not see how easy it is for me to cast a spell? I have all this power at my fingertips and I could do anything with it. Quinn, I could kill someone without a second thought just because I wished them to die l don't want that kind of power. No one should have that kind of power. Then there is fact that I am immortal now because I am the Dark One. That makes being friends interesting. I don't get hurt. I don't get sick. But on paper, Will and I are perfect for each other, but in real life..."

"Things are messy. Bad things happen. You live and learn. You get over it. You grow up and you realize what's important to you. For you, it's family and friends. It's having that loving support group that you so desperately wanted as a child. Out of the five of us, I get that. You understand why we are all so close and why we support each other so much. Danni. You need to talk to her. Explain to her your fears and feelings. How do you know that she is scared of you? How do you know how she feels? You don't, because you ran away and literally buried your heart in a wooden chest," Quinn said, knowing that she was pushing Danni, because she needed it.

"But..."

"No, you need to talk to her. I know that it may not be easy, but you need to do this for both of you. I'll be there for you no matter what. But, she should at least know that you still care for her. If she is still hung up on you, then maybe fate is trying to give you something. You shouldn't just let it pass you by because you don't think you deserve it. If I'd done that, I wouldn't have Rachel. I thank whoever up there or out here gave us a second chance. It made me get off my ass and tell her how I felt. It made explain to her why I acted the way I did in high school. Give her a chance. If you love her, tell her."

"It isn't that easy," Danni started to say.

"Was it for your mothers?" Quinn questioned.

"No...yes...I don't know," Danni answered.

"Who told who?"

"Mom finally told Ma after Red got in her face about it."

"Did Emma run?" Quinn asked her.

"No, they were too busy looking for me in that moment."

"But, they did end up together, right?"

"Well, yeah, they are each other's True Love."

"Are you Will's?"

"I don't know," Danni replied.

"I think that you know the answer to that question but you are afraid to admit aloud now."

"I thought I was. It would explain so much between us. But then again, it wouldn't."

"What do you mean?" Quinn inquired.

"True Love can break any curse in any realm. It is the strongest magic anywhere. It can transcend time, curses, realms..."

"But?"

"She couldn't break the curse of the Dark One on me when she kissed me."

"For True Love's kiss to work, don't both parties have to want it to work?" Quinn probed.

"I think so."

"There's your answer, then," Quinn stated.

"What's my answer?"

"You didn't want it to work, so it didn't. It really is that simple. See fairy tales aren't that hard. And, like you said. There is a big dose of truth in them. So, what else do we need to know, now?" Quinn asked as she watched Danni change duffels for a big backpack.

"I'll see what kind of training I think you're ready for once we get there. My first priority is Red. Nothing else. Don't sway me in that," Danni demanded.

"I won't," Quinn told her.

"Don't let them sway me either."

"Who is 'them'?"

"My family, Santana, Brittney, or Rachel," Danni answered.

"I will do my best."

"That is all I can ask for right now."

"What else?" Quinn inquired.

"Ever been through a magic portal?"

"To be honest, no...thought I had sometimes at the bottom of a bottle, but I don't think so."

"Should we use a mirror or just go?" Danni wondered aloud.

"What's the difference?"

"I've figured out how to use a mirror to my desire."

"Meaning?" Quinn questioned seriously wondering what Danni was talking about.

"I can tell it when and where I want to go."

"Then wouldn't the mirror be the logical course for us using the bean?" Quinn probed.

"You would think so, yes," Danni answered.

"But?"

"Sometimes the element of surprise can be fun," Danni stated with a strange mirth in her voice.

"Okay, do you want to surprise your family or us?" Quinn asked her with her voice full of seriousness.

"Good point."

"So, mirror?"

"Definitely mirror then," Danni stated.

"What do we need to pack besides whatever you got there?"

"Don't worry, I already packed your bags."

"You did? Of course, you did. So, what's in them?" Quinn inquired standing up to look at the bags on the bed.

"Yeah so, jeans, comfortable jeans, and loose tops, mostly plain but colorful. Nothing too fancy or too tight, and nothing that would make you stand out too terribly bad. There in those bags there. One for you and Rachel and one for Santana and Brittney. We're going light. I can just get or conjure anything else we might need once we get there," Quinn stated as she gathered the bags.

"So, we're going?"

"We're going. Now, I just need to decide where I want us to land. But, that can wait. I know that Belle is making dinner. We'll eat. We'll talk some more and then we'll head out. Sound good?" Danni asked.

"Sounds like a solid plan, but what are we going to tell them?"

"About?"

"I am sure that Belle doesn't know about the mirror thing."

"No, she doesn't. It doesn't matter. We'll get back. I'll make sure that we're in the East Wing of the castle. Once we're back, I'll make sure that we are all together. I am sure that Belle will go find Red and Mom. It will be night. I'll make sure of that. Now, let's go give them the news," Danni told her, hand two of the bags to Quinn. "I think that it's time we got on the road."

They made their way downstairs. It was quiet as they entered the dining room. It looked like they were all waiting for Danni and Quinn to come down to join them. They quickly took their seats. Quinn and Danni were noticeably quiet, but no one decided to break the silence. They ate quietly, but the entire time Belle was staring at Danni and then the bags.

Once dinner was over, Santana couldn't take it anymore. She had to know what the plan was. She'd been good. She'd gone with them to the cemetery. She'd gone into that damn crypt and she picked up books that looked like something her _Abuela_ would burn.

"Alright. Enough. What's the plan, for reals. I've been nice and quiet. But, damn it someone better start talking right now," Santana demanded.

"We're going tonight," Danni said.

"Are you ready?" Belle immediately asked.

"It doesn't matter if I am ready or not, Aunt Belle. We need to go. I need to assess the situation. I can't do that here. If we don't go now, I don't know that I'll actually go. There is too much riding on this. It involves more than just me."

"So, how are we going to do this portal jump thing?" Rachel asked.

"Well, I'm glad you asked. I've found a way to make the jump a little more predictable. I just need to know that you all trust me or this won't work. Once the portal is open and I decide where and when we are going to go, you can't think of anything else. Can you do that?"

"Of course," they all replied quickly.

"Then let's do this."

"Wait, we're doing it in the house?" Belle asked her.

"Yeah, cause I need a really big mirror to do this. And, we both know that Mom has a crazy obsession with mirrors. The house is the perfect place to do this. So, are you ready?"

"We are going to have a really long discussion about this later. You can trust me on that one. But, let's get back. I need to see Red and I'm sure that your mothers would love to see you as well. But, that can wait. I'm going to go straight to see Red. What are you going to do?"

"I am going to go to bed once we get there. I'll deal with Mom and Ma in the morning, after I go see to Red. Until then, I am going to rest because we both know that I am going to need it."

"What do we need to pack?" Santana asked.

"Already done," Quinn said pointing at the bags.

"Then, let's get this shit going. We've got people to save and kingdoms to see. Plus, Britt wants to see her unicorn. So, get moving, Princess. Lead the way," Santana told them.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

Belle walked slowly through the halls of the castle. She wasn't really trying to be quiet. She just wasn't trying to arouse anyone that she was actually back. She just wanted to see Ruby. She didn't care at that moment that Regina and Emma would want to see Coraline. She wanted to see her wife.

She almost started running when she reached the wing that she knew Ruby was in. She stopped in front of the heavy oaken door and collected herself. It had been a week, a tiring and trying week, but she was home and hopefully they could help Ruby. She reached for the iron handle and opened the door.

She wasn't surprised to see Will in the room sitting with her. She was surprised that she was alone, though. She figured that Regina would still be in the room with her sister. She knew that Regina had tried every magical incantation, spell, and potion for healing that she could get her hands on.

Will looked up at her with something fierce in her eyes. Belle couldn't tell if it was happiness or anger, but she could tell that Will was glad she was back. She went to say something to Belle, but Belle held her hand up to her mouth, silencing her. Will nodded and resumed her position on guarding Ruby while Belle sat down in the chair beside Ruby.

"I'm back, Love," she told the unmoving Ruby.

Tears sprang to her eyes. She knew that it was late in the night, but she wanted to spend some time with Ruby before all Hell broke loose once everyone knew that Coraline was back. She was actually amazed that Will was still in the room with her.

Will watched her as she sat down beside Ruby, dropping a bag on the floor beside her. Will understood what Bell had meant when she raised her fingers to her mouth. She wanted time with Ruby before they went to get Regina and Emma. She was just glad to see the Librarian back. She knew that it meant that Coraline was back as well. She would give Belle the time she needed. She owed her that for bringing Coraline back. Plus, what was a few more hours, they'd waited this long.

"Has there been any change?" Belle asked her breaking their silence.

"None," Will replied.

Belle just nodded her head. She just stared at the brunet beauty before her. She bent over and placed her head on the bed, near the hand that she was holding. It wasn't before long that she was asleep. Will let her sleep. She knew that Belle needed it as much as Regina and Emma did. They could be mad at her later 1` r it: she really didn't care. She was still trying to figure out what she was going to do now that Coraline was back.

She looked up and out the window and could see the graying morning starting to come over the horizon. She hadn't realized that she'd been asleep until the first rays of the sun peaking over the trees.

Belle knew that she'd been back long enough to tell Regina and Emma that they were there. She turned her head to see Will still in the same spot. Will smiled at her, but still didn't say anything, waiting for Belle to initiate the conversation.

"Who is coming in to check on her next?" Belle asked her.

"Today? I am not sure. I sent Regina and Emma to bed last night, so I am sure as soon as Regina wakes, they'll be back. Other than that, it'll either be Tink or Blue," Will told her.

"I'm assuming that one of them will be in shortly. I think as soon as they show up we should go tell Regina and Emma that we're here. I am not sure how Coraline will react, but she's in her rooms with her friends I guess that I should talk with them before we go see Coraline," Belle stated.

"That sounds good," Will agreed, even though she was ready to see Coraline, she knew that they needed to proceed slowly and with caution as to not upset her.

Tink and Blue both came in shortly after their brief conversation. Blue seemed surprised to see Belle, but Tink didn't. The younger fairy smiled at her and took her place, while Blue took Will's. There was no true discussion between them. Tink just started using some magic and gave Belle a wink as they left the room to go find Regina and Emma. Will watched as Belle gathered the bag that had been at her feet as they left and she silently asked herself what was in the bag the Belle was carrying.

"They'll be up and probably getting breakfast. Snow has been making sure that Regina eats. If she knows that Emma took her to bed, she'll have them in the main hall eating first," Will told her.

"I guess it isn't the first night that you've sent her to bed since I've been gone."

"I've done it once or twice." Will answered.

"Then…I guess we'll go get breakfast and talk. There are somethings that I need to explain to all of you. And, breakfast seems to be the best time to do it. I would rather that Coraline was there, but I doubt that she would agree to such measures right now."

"She doesn't want to see us?" Will questioned, her heart hurting at the thought.

"It isn't that easy. It's...well...complicated. She wants to take care of Ruby first, before she doesn't anything emotionally stressful. Considering what she's done and been through since she left. I believe that I can allow that. The question is: can you all do that for her?" Belle asked as they walked on.

Will wasn't sure what she meant, but she hoped that Belle could explain once they were are together. She followed her as Belle led them through the castle and to the kitchens. She knew as well as Belle did that even if Regina and Emma were in the main hall eating breakfast, the best way to get to them was through the kitchen. Plus she had an idea that Belle wanted to see Granny.

They entered the kitchen slowly. Belle could see Snow and Granny working on some breakfast for the castle. Belle smiled at them. Snow looked up from a pot and Granny ran around the preparation tables to gather her up in a hug.

"Belle, girl, you're back!" Granny exclaimed as she picked the smaller woman up twirling her.

"I take it that Coraline is with you as well. Emma told us that you would be back soon. Where is she?" Snow asked as Granny sat Belle back down.

"She is probably still sleeping. It has been a long week for all of us. She was tired when I left her last night. Plus she wanted to make sure that her friends settled in as well," Belle told them.

"Her friends?" Snow asked.

"Emma didn't tell you?"

"No, she's been at Regina's side since you left. And, if she wasn't there, she was trying to find something to keep her busy or useful. She's been beside herself. She doesn't do well when there is nothing for her to do. She helps Regina with her magic and Ruby. But, when Regina didn't need her, she was in the Room of Mirrors waiting for contact with you. Once you called, she went back to Regina," Snow told her. "I saw that Will got Emma to get her to sleep last night."

"I did," Will replied. "It wasn't that hard. Emma was dead on her feet."

"Well, we should get this over with. I am sure that Regina will want to be with Ruby as soon as possible, but first she'll want to see Coraline. Come on, Will. Is there something that I can take out to the table?" Belle asked.

Snow and Granny nodded. They were both handed some dishes as they started their way into the main hall from the kitchens. Belle knew that it wasn't a big breakfast but knew that it would be enough for them to eat and talk before they woke Coraline and the others.

Emma looked up from the table. She was still tired and she knew that her mother could see it. She'd paced most of the night while watching over Regina, making sure that she slept some. When she saw Belle, she reached over and grabbed Regina's hand, causing Regina to look up.

When Regina's eyes met the steely blue of Belle's, she jumped up out of her chair. Emma still held her hand as she tried to pull away, but Emma held her fast at the table. She could see that Belle, Will, Snow and Granny were coming with breakfast. She could also see the look in Belle's eyes. Regina looked over the Librarian. She knew that Belle would want to talk before taking them to Coraline. She sat back down and waited, impatiently, but she waited.

Belle set down her tray of food and took a seat. Regina was watching her with expectation. Will took the seat beside her. Snow and Granny added their trays to the table and sat down. No one said anything as Granny grabbed each of their plates and put food on them before giving them back. Once all the plates were passed around and filled, Granny sat down. She nudged Belle, who smiled and nodded before talking.

"We came back last night, very late. Once I got Coraline and her four friends settled in her rooms, I made my way to Ruby's chambers. I found Will there, but I told her not to wake you. Don't be angry, Regina. You needed your sleep," Belle told them.

"And, now?"

"I am not sure if Coraline is even awake. But, there are things that you need to understand about your daughter before you see her. She isn't the same woman that fled here three years ago. She is a lot older even if she doesn't look it. She has been through a lot," Belle stated.

"Why?" Emma asked.

"She was trying to find a way to atone for what she'd had done. Plus, she was trying to come to grips with being the Dark One. She was looking for ways to find an inner peace and battle anger that was raging inside her. Somehow on her many adventures through different realms, she found her way," Belle said.

"But she didn't come home," Regina stated.

"No, she didn't. Or, if she did, she never told us. She was afraid. She still is afraid. She loves you all so much, but she didn't know how to process the reaction we all gave her when she brought you George's head. She felt like she'd betrayed you in some way and she was trying to figure out how to come back and be comfortable, again."

"We would never turn her away," Regina said meekly.

"I know that. You know that. And, I know that she knows that deep inside, but you have to remember that she grew up in a different world, in a different time and without either of you. She is afraid that she isn't living up to the Swan name. She feels adrift here because there are so many expectations on her. She doesn't want the crown. She doesn't want the titles. She is happy to be your knight, your daughter, but nothing more. She doesn't need the pressure."

"Then we won't pressure her to take anything until she is ready," Emma told her.

"It isn't that simple, Emma. I wish it was. The magic flowing through her speaks to her. I know that none of you understand that truly…well, you might Emma, since it tried to take you. But, she really is at constant war in her head and her heart," Belle explained.

"But, she took out her heart?" Regina questioned.

"She did, because she didn't want to feel the shame and anger of what she'd done here. She tried to fight the emotions but she was afraid of what she would do in the Land with no Magic. That is where her friends came into effect," Belle stated.

"How?" Emma asked, squeezing Regina's hand and trying to keep her calm.

"It took me a few days to get the story out of her, but she finally told me. When she fled her, she had a pocket full of beans. I don't know where she got them, but she knew what they were and how to use them. She hadn't really before she faked her death and went into the well."

Regina sat back in her chair. It was still a sore subject between the two women that Belle knew Coraline had been alive while they had no memory of her. But, she could appreciate that the Bookworm suffered in silence while writing the Legends of Coraline. She gave the people a story of suffering and hope. It was all too "Charming."

"When she arrived back in the Land with no Magic, she was in New York. She landed in a dark and dank alley way. She was hurting, scared, and still covered in the muck of war with George. I am sure that she was a frightful sight."

"What happened?" Will asked.

"She ran into Rachel. She is the petite brunette not much taller than me. She was walking home and was attacked. Coraline stepped in and saved her, but not before she took her anger out on the man that attacked Rachel. By the time the cops arrived, the man was barely breathing. She'd almost beat him to death. Rachel offered to take Coraline back to her apartment, to clean her up and thank her for helping her out. Coraline agreed because she could tell how frightened she was, but Coraline as afraid too."

"Why?" Emma asked. "Was she scared of the cops? They would have let her go."

"No, she wasn't afraid of the police. She was afraid of what the building anger inside would cause her to do to Rachel. She saw her as an innocent and when you meet Rachel, you'll understand. But there was something about Rachel that made her want to protect her from the world, she couldn't explain it," Belle told them.

"What did she do?" Snow questioned.

"Rachel's roommate came home a few days later. Her name is Santana. She is a fiery Latina with a big mouth and a reputation to back it up. She is larger than life, but quietly loving and kind. I take it that she didn't have the greatest relationship with her parents, but they were still loving towards her, so there was no ill will. Emma, you and Will, spoke with her briefly through the mirror," Belle started to tell them.

"I liked her," Will added.

"So, did Coraline. When Santana got home, she could tell that something had happened to Rachel. When she questioned Rachel, she would tell her the full story. Once she finally got Coraline alone, she told Santana the truth and the entirety of the story. Santana was obviously upset about what happened and did some digging. She found out that Rachel wanted to drop the charges against the man. So, Santana did what she had to do in order to get Rachel some justice and to help Coraline feel like she'd helped the young woman."

"What did she do?" Emma asked.

"She called the police pretending to be Rachel. She gave them more testimony thanks to Coraline's story. With the extra testimony, the police didn't need Rachel's permission to charge the man. They did it on their own. Santana was also friends with some local cops and some of the younger district attorneys for their borough. She got them to throw the book at the man and she got bits of the case files. Santana believed that if she knew the full extent that she could help Rachel get passed it. She was wrong. She didn't realize how close the assault had been."

"He tried to rape her?" Will inquired.

"Yes, he did. Coraline stopped him before it got too far, but she was afraid that she had killed the man. She nearly did. But, in beating him, she injured herself. A feat that shouldn't happen to a Dark One, but in the Land with no Magic, the pain was too real."

"What did Santana do to her?" Regina asked.

"She thanked her and told her that she would help her get a job, a place to stay, anything she needed for saving Rachel. Coraline shrugged it all off. She said that she just needed to get home, back to Storybrooke. No one outside of our world had ever heard of it, so Santana just thought it was sleepy town in Maine. When it became clear that Rachel was using Coraline as a crutch and not really moving on, Santana told her about Quinn."

"Quinn?" Regina asked.

"Another friend. She is Rachel's lover, but they weren't at the time. It seems that Quinn was going to Yale while Rachel was in an art school and Santana was in law school at Columbia."

"So they are all wicked smart," Emma quipped.

"Yes, they are. And, they have all taken the magic thing with a grain of salt. Santana seems to be having some small issues with her religion and magic, but Rachel, Quinn and Brittney have dealt with it like it was just something else in their life. Santana is coming around because she can see benefits of having magic, but they all have a childlike wonder about it."

"But, what about Quinn?"

"She is the most like Emma and Coraline. Well, emotionally…her parents kicked her out at a young age and she learned to care for herself. She's fought for everything she has and she had earned it all on her own. She didn't have the support of her family, but her friends. She, Santana, and Brittney were known as the Unholy Trinity in school, and trust me they are all a force to be reckoned with on their own, but together…forget it.

"Santana knew that Quinn would want to know about Rachel. She dropped enough hints that Coraline took the bait. Coraline left New York with some of the case file copies and found Quinn at Yale. She told her everything. Quinn was already planning to move to New York to be with Santana and Rachel anyway. She'd gotten into the Master's program at Columbia. With Coraline's news of Rachel's attack, she called Santana and moved up the timeline."

"So, Quinn moved in with them?"

"For a short time, but by then, Coraline was gone. She'd come back to Storybrooke. She was happy that they were happy, but she was still punishing herself. The pain of all the emotions she was feeling was starting to drive her insane. She couldn't take it. She took out her heart and left in Storybrooke. She planted the beans to have a crop. She knew that we wouldn't find them. We were already gone, having somehow crossed back over to here. Once she took out her heart, she made a blood magic safe and hid it in the mansion. She didn't want anyone but herself or family stumbling across it. She hid it behind the statue of Rocinante in the living room."

"Why the house?" Will asked.

"Because she knew that no one would think there to look for it. Like I said, she wasn't in her right mind. She was trying to deal with the duality that has become her new reality. She is pure love, made from it, and thinks in a loving and caring manner, but she has the Darkness now inside of her. Her two sides are at war, anger and love. She tries to reconcile them, but it is hard. She tries to remain calm and even emotionally. When she doesn't feel like she can, even though she doesn't have her heart, she takes a vacation to another realm until she feels calm again. When she does, she goes back to New York. It seems that her magic found a way to penetrate the veil of no magic. She has it, but it is different outside of Storybrooke."

"Different how?" Regina questioned.

"She still doesn't age. She doesn't get sick. Her immortality because of being the Dark One is intact. She can't do spells or incantations. She reacts quickly and smartly. She is stronger than she should be. She can sense things that others can't, but that is really about it."

"You said there were four friends. Who is the fourth? And, how did Coraline get back with them?" Snow asked.

"She…her name is Brittney. She is a dancer and Santana's lover. She moved to New York to be with Santana after Coraline left. Once again, Coraline's influence could be felt. It seems that Santana was afraid to fight for Brittney. They had been together before but ended their relationship. Coraline told her if that she loved her, she'd fight for her. She also might have said something to Quinn about it, because Quinn pushed Santana into going to get the blonde and brining her back. She is the tallest among them. She's empathic and reads people and the situations better than anyone I've ever seen. She is people smart and she helps keep them together," Belle explained.

"But how did Coraline get back to them?" Regina asked.

"It seems that she learned to mix mirror magic with portal magic. She can use mirrors as portals. She can actually pick a time and a specific place to go," Belle informed them.

"Then, why did she come back here?"

"Because we were all with her," Belle answered quickly. "The only problem with new way of travelling through portals is that if she changes a timeline, she can only travel forward in the new time line. Meaning that since she came back and changed her future, she can't will herself back into the timeline she grew up in hopes to change it. She's already changed the outcome; she can't go back to original."

"But, she went back to New York," Emma stated.

"That was a fluke. She wasn't in New York. They found her in New Jersey, living in a small apartment and working at a warehouse. She had money but didn't flaunt it. She seemed quieter, happier, but there was still something missing."

"Which was?" Will asked.

"As far as I could tell, you. She never really moved on. She didn't want to. She was still searching for a way to atone for her sins and find a way to prove herself to all of us. Rachel found her and told Quinn and Santana. She'd changed her name to Danielle Gallia. She goes by Danni now," Belle told them.

"But, how did she end up going back to New York?"

"You'd have to the four of them. Danni wouldn't tell me. But, I think that Santana and Quinn wouldn't leave her alone until she agreed to come back. I am sure that Rachel had some factor in that, but no one would really tell me. They don't trust me because of the stories that Danni told them. They are fiercely loyal and loving to her. They would do anything for her and they don't want her to be in pain anymore," Belle explained.

"So they were willing to come here to help her?" Snow asked.

"Regardless of the fact that they didn't know what they were getting into, yes, they did. Danni tried to show them magic, to make them understand, but I believe that Quinn is the only one that fully understands the magnitude of what is going one. By the way, we owe Brittney a trip to the unicorn stables. Don't ask. Just trust me on that one," Belle replied.

"That is easily done. Can I see my daughter now? I want to see my daughter," Regina demanded.

"I am not going to keep you from her, Regina. I would never do that. She'll do that on her own. She is still lost and frightened. She that little girl still in search of her mother's love. She's forgiven us all for letting her go. She's even forgiven us all for her upbringing in the alternate timeline, but she is still trying to earn your love and approval. She needs that and without it, she flounders. Her heart is broken. And, yet, she still yearns for her mothers' love and for you, Will. She's never stopped loving you," Belle explained.

"Even without her heart?" Will questioned.

"Even without her heart."

"How do you know?" Will asked.

"Because the four of them knew your name before they knew who you were. It seems that she calls out for you in her sleep some nights. When they questioned her about it, she told them that you broke up and that is why she left. She couldn't take the pain of living without you at home."

Will gasped. Even without her heart, Coraline, Danni, was still in love with her. She stood up.

"Where are you going?"

"I am going to tell her that I love her and I'll wait for her to be ready."

Belle smiled. She knew what Will meant. She was letting Danni set the pace this time. Sure they would be drawn to each other, but Will got that Danni was trying. She had been trying to find her way home for years. Now that she could see her, Will wasn't going to wait any longer. She would profess her love to Coraline and then she would wait for Coraline to come to her.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

Santana woke up to screaming. She couldn't make out the voices or the words that were being said, but it was enough to rouse her out of the bed at some ungodly hour. She mumbled under breath in Spanish cursing the individual or individuals that woke her as she remembered that: a) she wasn't in New York in her own bed, b) that she wasn't in Storybrooke in Danni s Moms' house, and c) that she was in a castle in the Fairy Tale World. The last thought made her stop at the door before she rushed out of it yelling Spanish profanities.

She looked back over at the slumbering Brittney. She didn't want to wake her but she knew that if she didn't that Brittney would be angry with her. Brittney liked to know what was going on with all of them. She didn't like it when they kept things from her, and San hated not telling her things right away.

She woke the sleeping blonde. She kissed her nose. Brittney slowly woke up and smiled at the Latina.

"What's going on?" she asked as soon as she heard the noise outside their bedroom.

"I'm not sure, B. I woke up to it. I didn't want to leave you in here wondering what was going on. I thought that we would go out there together," Santana told her.

"Alright, Sanny. Let's get dressed. I think I hear Quinn yelling at someone in French. And, that was Danni, but I'm not sure what she said," Brittney stated.

Santana just looked at her bright blue-eyed girlfriend. She didn't question her. She knew that Brittney could read people quickly. She knew that if Brittney was worried that something major was going down in the next room. They got dressed quickly and opened the door.

Santana was surprised that she didn't see anyone in the living room area of Danni's suite. She could still hear yelling as she and Brittney made their way towards Danni's bedroom. She was surprised however to see Rachel come running out, looking frazzled as she hurried to the bedroom that she and Quinn were using. Seconds later, she came back with Quinn's guitar. Santana just shook her head, not wanting to ask how it made it through the portal intact and where they'd packed it.

They followed Rachel into the bedroom, but they stopped just inside the door way. Santana looked around the room. It was just as ornate as theirs was, but it was a little more understated like Danni was.

 **A/N: Song is "Once" by Caleb Kane. Go check it out. It is perfect for this situation and hauntingly beautiful.**

She took in the people in the room. She saw Quinn and Rachel. Beside them stood a tall blonde woman in jeans and a blouse. She assumed that this was Emma, one of Danni's mom's, by the way she held herself and from what she could remember of her from seeing her in the mirror. Next to her was a tall, dark haired woman dressed in leather pants and a loose black linen shirt with some fancy embroidery on it. She seemed to be trying to talk to Danni and a young girl, who looked a lot like Danni. On the other side of the room was Belle and another brunette that Santana assumed was Regina, Danni's other mother. She didn't really have time to take in all of their clothing.

By the time that she took in the room and everyone in it, Danni started convulsing. No one moved. It was like they were all stuck. She looked at Will as she kept beating the air with her hands.

"She's erected some sort of force field," Brittney told her. "She won't let anyone near her. They are scared, San. I don't know if they are frightened for Danni or of her. You have to help Quinn, though."

"Help her do what?" San asked as she looked at the scene before her and hoping that it didn't turn into something from Poltergeist or the Exorcist.

"Help Quinn calm her down."

"How?" San asked her.

"Sing," Brittney answered like it was the most obvious answer in the world.

* * *

Quinn woke up when she felt Rachel get up. She knew that it had to be early. Rachel couldn't sleep past six, no matter what day it is. She rolled over and smiled at her lover. Rachel was over in the corner working out. Quinn sat up and watched her.

Rachel looked up from her exercises and smiled back at Quinn. Quinn was just surprised to see the elliptical machine in the corner of the room. She knew that she shouldn't be because Danni had given them a few amenities that they were used to from the other realm to help them deal there. Quinn laughed to herself. She should have known that Rachel would have asked for some exercise equipment. The woman couldn't function properly until she had her morning workout.

Quinn's thoughts were disturbed by yelling. She looked over at Rachel and saw the same look in her eyes that she felt. Something was wrong and it was Danni. They both scrambled out of the bedroom and into the large living room. The yelling didn't stop.

Quinn and Rachel rushed into Danni's bedroom. In the room, they saw Belle and four other women. She didn't who the other women were at the moment she didn't care. There was a fire in Danni's eyes. She was angry, angrier than Quinn had ever seen her and she looked frightened. Just behind Danni, she could see a young girl who looked remarkably just like Danni and was possibly a younger sister.

"Coraline, please just talk to us," the shorter, but more regal, brunette stated.

 _"Pourquoi es-tu ici?"_ Danni called back.

"What is she saying, Belle?" the brunette asked.

"She's speaking French," Belle replied and then noticed that Quinn and Rachel were in the room.

 _"Allez-vous en!"_ Danni screamed at them.

Quinn's head whipped around to face her friend. She saw the blonde and the brunette that had been talking take slow steps forward towards her. She shook her head at Belle. Danni was standing on her bed, backing up like a wounded animal into a corner. Belle caught Quinn's stare and she reached out for the brunette.

"Regina, stop. Look at her. She's scared."

Regina stopped moving and looked at her daughter. Quinn then realized who the blonde was. She had to be Emma. Glancing around the room, the could only guess at the names of the other two brunettes. She figured that the taller one was the infamous Will just by how she carried herself. She wasn't sure about the smaller brunette, but due to her resemblance to Emma, she could be Snow.

Rachel took her hand and held it. Quinn could tell that she was frightened by the scene before her. To be honest, Quinn wasn't sure that she was all happy about it, but she wasn't that scared. The time that she'd spent alone with Danni in Storybrooke and after reading some of the books that they had collected, Quinn started understanding a little more what was going on around her in Fairy Tale Land.

 _"Coraline, calmer, s'il vous plait,"_ Belle tried _._

 _"Eloigne-toi de moi,"_ Danni yelled back in response.

Quinn took another step forward and let go of Rachel's hand. She raised her hand out to the side to tell Rachel to stay put. Rachel didn't move. As she made her way closer to Danni, she saw the looks that Regina and Belle were giving her. She ignored them. She just continued forward, step by step, never taking her eyes off of Danni.

Her hair looked wild and unkempt, like she'd been woken from a deep sleep. Her eyes were burning with flecks of green that Quinn had never seen before. She realized that this sight put all of the rest of them on edge, but she was strangely calm about it. She could feel Belle watching, so she turned to face her. Their eyes met, piercing blue questioning her calm hazel.

She raised her hand up trying to get Danni to focus on her. She was trying to get her attention like she would with Santana when she lost her cool and went all "Lima Heights Adjacent" on someone. Danni turned her gaze to Quinn and Quinn smiled hoping to disarm her. It didn't work completely, but Danni did seem to calm down a little. She was still on edge, that much was obvious.

 _"Qu'est-ce que tu fais?"_ she asked Quinn as she took another step forward.

Regina and Emma looked at the younger blonde and wondered why Danni was letting her so close. They knew that she was a friend from New York, but they'd never seen them interact. It was disheartening to see that Danni was lowering her guard for her.

"Danni..." Quinn stated when she saw her move her gaze away from her.

Danni turned back and focused on her. Quinn didn't break her gaze. She knew that if she did, she would lose Danni before she could help her. She needed to make sure that everyone else stayed back and kept their cool until she could figure out how to break Danni down and back to them.

"Rachel?" Quinn stated taking another step forward.

"Yeah?"

"Go get my guitar," Quinn lightly commanded.

"What?"

"Just go get my guitar."

"We're going to sing to her?" Rachel questioned.

"It might calm her down. It's worked before. And, I have the perfect song choice. Just please go get my guitar out of the other room and hurry back," Quinn told her.

"I love you," Rachel told her.

"I love you, too, Rachel."

Rachel left the room without much fanfare. Quinn could feel the room getting smaller around them. She wasn't sure if it was magic or just because it was a tense situation. Frankly, she didn't care. She kept her focus on Danni, who was now pacing on the bed.

"Belle?" Quinn asked as she took another step forward.

"Yes, Quinn?"

"Do me a favor."

"What?" Belle inquired.

"Look, I know that this is going to be hard, but I need you to keep them all back. I get that they are family and they want to be with her right now, but they can't. I don't know what set her off, but I can't get her to calm down. I know that this might not make sense to anyone, but please you have to let me try. If this doesn't work, then by all means, you can do what you think is best."

"She is my daughter!" Regina yelled at her.

"Regina?"

"Yes?"

"I understand that she is your daughter, your Majesty, but right now, she is frightened. I am not saying that it is because of you, but she is. She is acting like a cornered animal and she is going to strike out at anything that upsets her, including you," Quinn told her.

"But, she is letting you get her," Regina countered.

"Because even in this state, she knows me and she knows that I am not going to hurt her. Just please stay back long enough for me to get her to calm down. I understand that you all want to talk to her and I am sure that she wants to talk to you, but bombarding her first thing in the morning after she just came back isn't the way to do it. She needs time...to process...to re-acclimate to this world. She has been living without magic for so long, that this is hard for her. Can you see that?"

She felt Regina deflate behind her. She didn't like being the one who understood the insanity in Danni's head. She'd felt the same way after she'd moved back in with her mother. She was scared that every little thing that she did might get her kicked out again. It took time, months, and a lot of emotional stress and bonding to get them back to a good place. Quinn didn't think that Danni and her family would have to do that because they never stopped loving each other. Things just got really difficult.

"Please just help her," a new voice stated.

"I will. Just please everyone stay back. If she turns on me, do what you have to do. Wilhelmina?"

"Yes," Will answered.

"When Rachel gets back, please keep her back. No matter what happens, do not let her come near me. If Danni attacks, hold her back, please," Quinn stated.

"I will do my best, young one," Will replied.

"Thank you."

Danni cocked her head, watching Quinn's every move. She allowed her to come closer and closer, but she watched her with an intensity that Quinn had never seen before. She held both of her hands up in front of her in a defensive measure. Danni nodded. It was slight, but it was enough for Quinn to see it.

"Danni?" she tried again.

 _"Oui?"_

 _"Puis-je venir a vous?"_ Quinn asked, digging deep into her memory from her French classes.

 _"Oui,"_ Danni answered.

"Okay," Quinn stated and took another step forward.

Her hands felt some sort of resistance as she got closer to the bed. She couldn't see anything that was holding her back, so she just assumed that it was magic. She pushed forward some more and felt her hands go through the resistance. She couldn't explain it fully, but it was like pushing through a thick curtain of water with a slight electric charge.

She heard someone come back into the room. She assumed that it was Rachel with her guitar. When she heard Brittney's quiet voice, she knew that Santana was in the room as well. She couldn't make out what Brittney was saying to Santana, but she knew that they were discussing what they saw before them. However through it all she caught the "Dios Mio," that Santana let out...every one of them, but she knew why she could hear Santana over everything else in the room. They were co-captains. They trained together. They knew each other. They could read each other and they had each other's back.

"Sing," she heard Brittney tell Santana as she felt them moving behind her in the room, waiting and watching to see what Quinn needed them to do.

Quinn made it through the force field of magic and was stepping closer to Danni. She continued to keep her eyes on Danni as she ran through every piece of information that she had gained from the books she'd been reading. She had no idea what she was getting into and she knew that she should be afraid of the immense power that Danni had, but she wasn't. She didn't care. She cared for her friend.

"Santana?"

 _"Si,"_ she replied.

 _"Canta Conmigo,"_ Quinn told her.

"What are we singing?" Santana asked.

 _"Recuerdas est cancion 'Una Vez'?"_

 _"Si,"_ Santana replied.

 _"Se puede jugar?"_

 _"Si, en la guitarra,"_ Santana answered.

"Rach, can you give Santana my guitar?"

"Yeah," Rachel replied and Santana took the guitar.

She still didn't turn around as she heard Santana begin to strum the guitar. She knew that Brittney and Rachel would sing back up once they realize what song she was singing. She was actually counting on it. She kept her eyes on Danni and the little girl that was no peeking out from behind Danni as she hummed the song.

 _"Danni, est-ce que c'est ta soeur?"_ Quinn asked her.

 _"Non...elle est moi,"_ Danni replied.

"Belle, care to explain that one?" Quinn called out.

"She is Remy."

"She is Remy?" Quinn questioned.

"For this world and this timeline, yes, she is Remy."

Quinn just nodded. She knew what that meant. The little girl didn't know or understand what she was or who Danni really was. She would have to tread carefully as to not alarm either of them.

"Danni?"

" _Oui_ , Quinn?"

 _"Peut-on laisser Remy aller a Rachel?"_

 _"Oui, oui,"_ Danni replied before kneeling down in front of the girl.

Quinn couldn't make out what they were saying and it didn't matter as long as the girl agreed to leave the immediate area. The girl looked over at Quinn. She gave her the softest smile that she could, one that she kept reserved for Beth. She knew that Rachel could see it, because she knew that Rachel was moving to keep her eyes on Quinn. When the girl started around Danni, Quinn finally broke her gaze and turned it to Remy instead. She reached out for her, and took her hand when she was close enough.

Quinn slowly stepped backward with Remy. She never turned from facing Danni though. She felt Rachel near her more than she knew exactly where she was. She felt the force field and reached out through it until she felt Rachel's hand in her own.

"Remy, sweetheart, I want you to go to Rachel, okay?"

"But, what about my sister, Coraline?" the little girl asked.

"I am going to take care of her, okay? But, right now, I need you to go to Rachel. She is going to make sure that you are okay and take you to your mothers, alright?"

"Do I have to leave?" she asked Quinn.

Quinn knelt down in front of her. It was the second time that broke her gaze with Danni, but she knew that Danni wasn't going to move. She met the same dark eyes in Remy as she'd seen in Danni. She sighed as she did her best motherly compassion for the girl.

"That is up to your mothers, sweetie. I can't tell you what they want you to do. But, I can tell that you care for your sister a lot and she does for you. I am sure that she wouldn't want you to see what she is about to go through. She is sick and in a lot of pain. I am going to help her, but it might not be something that you want to see. Understand?" Quinn asked the girl.

"I do."

"Okay, so I want you to go to Rachel, right there, okay? I promise that I'll take care of your sister. Do you believe me?" Quinn inquired even though she could hear some mumbling from the other parties in the room as she helped Remy through the field and into Rachel's hands.

"I do believe you," Remy told her.

Quinn took a second to look up at Rachel. She could see the questions and the fear in her eyes as she took Remy's other hand. Quinn gave her a smile and hoped that it would be enough to tide her over until they were done. She watched as Rachel pulled Remy into her.

"Snow, will you take her to get some breakfast?" she heard Regina ask.

The brunette that she believed was Snow crossed the room and gathered Remy in her arms. She walked her over to Regina and Emma, allowing them each to kiss her before they left. Once they were gone, Quinn stood up, still facing Rachel.

"You should go too," she told her.

"I am not leaving you. Don't ask me to leave. Don't do that to me, Quinn," Rachel demanded.

"Rachel..."

"No, I love you, damn it. I am not leaving you. Do you understand that?" Rachel asked her.

"I do," Quinn said as she bowed her head for a second. "I love you, too, Rachel. I'm sorry if this hurts you to watch. Just remember that I am doing this for Danni and that I love you so much."

Rachel gave her a quizzical look, but Quinn knew that she couldn't focus on it. She needed to turn her attention back to Danni. She started over to the bed. She climbed up on the end of it and stood there. She heard Santana's strumming get louder, knowing that she was ready to sing.

"Now, we do this," Santana stated.

Quinn started out softly as Santana softly strummed the rhythm of the song out. When a few notes had played, Quinn lifted her chin almost in defiance at Danni. It was a dare and anyone that knew Quinn knew she was pushing Danni. She was daring her to say something about the song choice. She was giving her time to protest. When she didn't, Quinn began to sing out.

"You change in front of me  
Your eyes get darker every day  
It happens quietly  
Your focus slowly burns away

And if you let me hear  
The things you seem to wanna say  
Though I am late, I will wait to go  
Until I know you're somewhere safe

And even if you chose  
To lock yourself away  
If I listen close  
I can almost hear you say

Once I was real  
Once I was somebody's child  
Once I could feel  
Some feeling once in a while

Once I was here  
Once I was somebody's friend  
Once I appear  
I will be real once again

You're falling into it  
An inescapable release  
Or something intimate  
Between the you that no one sees

Is there a way inside?  
You only hide from enemies  
'Cause I'll wait  
I'm afraid you won't get rid of me so easily

And even if you chose  
To lock the world away  
If I listen close  
I can almost hear you say

Once I was real  
Once I had something to lose  
Once I could peal  
Once I was harder to bruise

Once I was here  
Once I was willing to bend  
Once I appear  
I will be real once again

You're falling farther than  
I've ever seen you fall before  
For me to wonder when  
I'll recognize you anymore

To see no light inside your eyes at all  
To bang my head against the wall  
And force myself to watch you pull away

And even if you chose  
To lock the world away  
If I listen close  
I can almost hear you say

Once I was real  
Once I was somebody's child  
Once I could feel  
Some feeling once in a while

Once I was here  
Once I was somebody's friend  
Once I appear  
I will be real once again

Once I was real  
Once I was somebody's child  
Once I could feel  
Some feeling once in a while

Once I was here  
Once I was somebody's friend  
Once I appear  
I will be real once again…"

As the song ended, Quinn could see the tears forming in Danni's eyes. She was standing next to her now on the bed, and almost had her in her arms. She had been moving towards her slowly with each stanza until she was now there. She raised her arms and Danni fell into them, allowing her to hold her and embrace her. She could feel the force field shrinking around them, but she knew that there was more that needed to be done.

"Danni?"

 _"Oui?"_

 _"Vous avez besoin de votre coeur,"_ Quinn told her.

 _"Oui."_

 _"Voulez-vous le remettre?"_

 _"Oui,"_ Danni replied as they both fell to their knees on the bed.

 _"Ou est votre coeur, maintenant?"_

 _"Tante Belle l'a,"_ Danni stated as she started to cry on Quinn's shoulder.

"Belle?" Quinn called out.

"Yes?" Belle answered, knowing what Quinn was about to ask her.

"Do you-?"

"Yes, I have it," Belle replied.

 _"Donner le coeur a Rachel, si'l vous plait,"_ Quinn instructed.

 _"Oui,"_ Belle told her.

She heard some rustling behind her and then a zipper. There were collective gasps. It was in that moment that Quinn knew that Belle had removed Danni's heart from wherever it had been hiding and it was out in the open. She heard some small footsteps.

"Rachel?"

"I've got her heart, Quinn."

"Can you bring it to me?"

Rachel didn't answer. She just slowly walked towards Quinn. She kept her eyes on the pair before her and pushed her doubt and fear aside as she neared them, but then the force field stopped her.

"I can't get through to you," Rachel told her.

Quinn kissed Danni's cheek and whispered into her ear. Rachel could barely make out what she was saying, but it sounded something like "it'll be okay." She saw Danni give Quinn a slight nod while her head was still buried in her shoulder.

"Try again," Quinn said and Rachel did.

"I'm through," she told them as Quinn reached out for the heart.

Rachel gave it to her. Quinn pushed Danni back just enough to have room to get to her chest. She brought the heart up and slammed it back into Danni's chest while saying, "I'm sorry," the entire time. She kept kissing her cheek and holding her. She felt Danni hold on to her tighter.

"I am not going to let you go," Quinn told her. "We are going to help you fight, Danni. Now, you need to believe in us like we believe in you. Okay?"

* * *

 **A/N: The song used is "Once" by Caleb Kane. If you've never heard it, go take a listen at YouTube. There is a SwanQueen Edition of it as well.**

 **POLL: When I use a non-English language, do you want me to give you the translations in footnotes or no? Let me know and I'll go back and add them or start adding them as I write more. Thanks for the input. ~JET**


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

She stirred awake, suddenly very warm. She found herself in bed wrapped up with someone. She slowly opened her eyes to find a small brunette in her arms. She wasn't upset, just surprised. She rolled over to find someone else in the bed with them, a beautiful blonde. Now she was thoroughly confused. She couldn't remember going to bed, much less with two other people. She sighed and the blonde opened her hazel eyes. She could make out small flakes of gold and green in the otherwise hazel brown. She felt her heart skip a beat, but it still felt wrong somehow.

"Morning," the blonde told her.

She smiled at the blonde as her mind began to catch up with her body. She realized that she was back home, if she could call it home because she wasn't really sure where home was. The blonde scrunched up her eyebrows in question and scooted closer, if that was possible, in the bed. Danni was a little stressed. Her body hurt and her mind wasn't helping figure things out.

"You okay, Danni?" she asked.

"Yeah," she whispered.

She didn't know why she was so quiet. Then she remembered that she was in bed. She couldn't understand why her mind was so slow. She smiled at the blonde again and lay back on her back to stare up at the ceiling.

She was hoping that she would completely wake up or go back to sleep. The soreness in her body wasn't helping her relax. She felt like she'd been run over a couple times, thrown through a wringer and put away wet. She hurt in places that hadn't hurt since came through the time portal to Storybrooke years ago. But, she wasn't in Storybrooke anymore. She knew that she was in the Enchanted Forest, at Winterland Castle, in her room, in the East Wing. She sighed.

"Danni, what is it?"

"How long have we been back?" she asked, not caring who answered.

The brunette stirred beside her, rolling over towards her, but not waking up. She dropped an arm around Danni's waist and snuggled closer. When Danni looked to the blonde, she just smiled at the scene before without making any comments. Danni didn't know what to do. They both seemed very familiar with her, but she just couldn't think straight. It was like she was under a spell, but she knew that couldn't be true. And, she didn't know why her chest hurt her the most.

She sighed. The brunette burrowed deeper into her side, lifting her head and putting it on Danni's shoulder. The blonde smiled and matched the brunette on the other side of Danni's body. She completely sandwiched between the two, and normally she would be happy about this, but something was off. She couldn't place it. She knew them, but she couldn't remember their names. She trusted them, but she didn't know why. She loved them, but she wasn't sure how deeply.

Had this become her life? Had she come back and taken on lovers? She didn't know. It was like her life was a blur that made no sense. There were thoughts and feelings, but they seemed to be locked away in the back of her mind and she didn't have the combination to the lock.

She continued to stare at the ceiling. She tried to figure out what was going on. She could feel her magic pooling and swirling inside her, begging for release. She took a deep breath and held it. She didn't want to let anything go. She was afraid that she might hurt someone, but she could feel the pent up energy just beneath the surface. She sighed and felt the two women hold her tighter.

 _"Just relax, Danni."_

She felt herself try. She took a deep breath. She stared at the ceiling and then closed her eyes. She tried to relax. She really did. She tried breathing exercises and finally felt her muscles relax. She kept her eyes closed and took more deep breaths.

 _"Danni?"_ she assumed the brunette asked her.

"Yeah?"

 _"Just let go, sweetie. I told you earlier that you weren't going to have to face this alone. We aren't going to leave you. You've helped us, now let us help you,"_ she told Danni.

And, finally Danni felt herself relax. She gave into the comfort that both women were giving her. She burrowed a little bit into the mattress. She felt herself going deeper and deeper into a relaxed state. Her breathing got deeper. The warmth that surrounded her helped her unwind a little more and she felt her magic begin to settle down. She didn't want to dream because she was afraid at what she would dream about. She made her mind go blank and drifted off.

That was until she felt a hand on her hip start moving. She wanted to open her eyes. She wanted to figure out what was going on between her and the women in bed, but she was afraid. She was afraid that her magic had caused all this to happen. She wouldn't have excuse and she knew that she was going to need one. She could just feel it.

The hand started to move upwards. Then another hand, smaller, on her other hip started to move as well. She realized that she was holding both women with her arms, one lying on top of each side. Her fingers were wrapped around their hips. She felt her fingers start to dig into flesh. There was no cloth between her and their skin.

 _"Danni, just stay calm. We've got you. I promise,"_ the blonde told her.

She felt her fingers dig into their flesh deeper as the hands began to rub on her more. She felt the pressure in their hands get harder. Her breathing sped up and warmth began to settle through her body. Her eyes flew open as a hand made its way up her torso.

She wasn't sure what was going on, but she was getting warmer. Her skin felt like it was on fire as that hand on her torso kept going higher. The other hand on her hip started across her stomach. She heard herself moan, but she wasn't sure that she wasn't dreaming at the moment. She reflexively squeezed her hands and felt pliant flesh beneath her fingers. She had to be bruising them but she couldn't let go.

 _"Danni?"_ the brunette asked as she turned to long into her dark soulful brown eyes.

She blinked. She knew she did. She looked into the brunette's eyes and saw a depth of love that she hadn't felt in years...decades even. She turned her head to face her a little more clearly. She felt a hand leave her stomach and brush her own dark hair out of her face. She opened her mouth to ask a question, but no words came out. The brunette seemed to furrow her brows in question as she leaned up a little on her elbow to look down on Danni and get a little more comfortable.

Out of nowhere the brunette leaned forward and kissed her forehead, like she'd done it a million times before. It felt normal. It felt right, but she knew that it wasn't the kiss that she was looking for. As if she could read Danni's mind, the brunette leaned back and touched her face, gently, sweetly and with some sort of affection that Danni couldn't name. She didn't dare blink. She couldn't. She was mesmerized by the look in the brunette's eyes.

 _"Danni?"_ she asked again.

She looked at her, but still couldn't say anything. Her voice was trapped. She could only moan at the soft touches and caresses that she was receiving. She opened her mouth, but nothing came out.

She knew that she must look worried, because the brunette touched her face again. She held Danni's face in her hands like someone holding their lover's face. Danni could only stare up into her eyes. She saw the tiniest of gold flecks in her dark brown eyes and the flecks looked like stars. She focused on them as she felt the blonde stirring beside her.

 _"Danni, are you okay?"_ the blonde asked.

She turned her face to look at the blonde. She saw the gold flecks mixed with green and brown. She felt her body begin to turn towards her. Danni gave a look to the brunette as her body turn on its own accord. The brunette let her roll towards the blonde.

 _"Quinn, why isn't she speaking?"_ the brunette asked as Danni turned completely over into the waiting arms of the blonde named Quinn, Danni surmised.

Danni buried her head into Quinn's waiting shoulder. She didn't know why she was so calm and comfortable with the two women, but she was. She felt the brunette move up behind her. She felt the other woman's body melt into her own. She kept her eyes on Quinn's, but she felt the brunette's arms surround her.

 _"I don't know, Rachel,"_ Quinn finally answered.

Her body was warm and feelings were running through it in ways that she hadn't felt in a very long time. She wasn't sure why the names of the other women reminded her of something, just beyond her grasp, but it was a something familiar. It was something that she'd known before, an emotion that she'd hadn't had a full grasp of when she was a young adult still under the care of Belle and Ruby.

When she let herself succumb to the feeling, she felt lighter. The pain in her heart started to dissipate. She realized that she was allowing her feelings to mix with her magic and no matter the amount of red flags that fact were raising in her head could stop the emotions. There was no end to the surmounting fury of emotion building. The more it mixed with her magic, the more it stirred things inside her.

 _"Danni?"_ Quinn tried again.

Danni's eyes flashed green. She opened her mouth to allow sound to pass and a low moan escaped. Rachel squeezed her harder. It seemed like the two women were trying to give her their love through osmosis. She didn't understand why it felt so good and so right. She didn't understand why the underlying anger that had possessed her for so long wasn't bubbling to the surface. Where was the hatred? Where was the fear? Where was her anger? It was just gone.

Hands moved across her body. The sensations on her skin gave way to the excitement fluttering in her heart. Quinn held her gaze with her eyes. She felt the warmth of Rachel's hand as the moved to her lower torso. Two small hands, palm down, gently pulled her back. She felt her body flush itself against Rachel. The slight gap that was built between her body and Quinn's caused her front to become cold.

It was like her body needed the warmth. She needed to feel something in order to keep herself grounded. The look in her eyes must have been wild. Quinn leaned forward and kissed her forehead. She leaned into the kiss. There was a blossoming passion growing from her heart and head and spreading throughout her body.

 _"Quinn?"_

The blonde lifted her head up just enough to look over Danni. There was a shift between the women and Danni could feel it. Danni raised her hand to Quinn's face. Their eyes met and held. There was a silent conversation. Quinn smiled at her and Danni smiled back.

Rachel lifted her head just enough to whisper in Danni's ear. Her hands still holding Danni's body against her own started moving back down to her hips. Danni couldn't move. She felt good and she felt loved. It was a feeling that she had been so desperately searching for that she wasn't sure what to do with it now that she had it.

The hands on her hips began to stroke her skin. Her head fell back onto Rachel's shoulder. Quinn's hands moved to hold her face, keeping her focused on her, while Rachel continued to touch her. She didn't care about the goosebumps that were coming up on her skin.

Quinn moved first. She leaned in and kissed Danni. If she was taken aback by the action, she didn't make it known. The kiss was chaste and neither one of them pushed it further.

Rachel's hands never stopped moving. Whatever spell she was weaving with her hands, Quinn was weaving with her mouth. Danni couldn't help but feel. She couldn't stop herself from falling. She was enjoying the feeling of the hands on her body and the lips against her mouth.

Quinn let go of her face and started to move her hands down to Danni's shoulders. Leaning forwards a little more, Quinn pressed her body against her as she deepened the kiss. Her tongue swept across her lower lip asking for access. Danni acquiesced and Quinn deepened the kiss as she reached around to touch Rachel, pulling them all together. There was no room between them. Danni could feel warmth and passion building.

Rachel's hands didn't stay still. They were suddenly under Danni's shirt. She kept leaning back into her. The women kept her high on the passion building between them. She couldn't stop the feelings and she couldn't stop the warmth building between them all.

Danni didn't know when or how it happened, but her shirt was gone. She didn't even know who removed it. But, she could feel the warmth of Rachel's skin against her own on her back. She could feel the gentle and calming effect that Quinn's body to her front. She heard a low moan flow from her lips.

Quinn ended the kiss. She back away just enough to look into Danni's eyes. The green swirling with dark brown answered whatever questions were on the tip of tongue. She leaned back in and kissed her harder. The harshness of the new kiss was juxtaposed with the new sensations running down her back with the mild and sweet kisses that Rachel was giving her there. She arched into Rachel, pushing her shoulders back and her stomach forward into Quinn.

Quinn understood what Danni needed. She moved from her lips to her neck, slowly biting and nipping, marking and licking her way from ear to collar bone and back. Danni was on fire. There was a fever burning and she didn't know how to quench it without their help.

Her hands which had been dormant began to move. She wrapped one hand in the blond hair of Quinn while the other sought out Rachel's hip. Anchoring herself in both of them, she held them against her body, relishing in the feeling of closeness. It was a like a drug and it was pulling her magic to front. She smiled as they continued to touch her. At some points, she didn't know where she ended and they began. She was losing herself in the passion and she was enjoying it.

She'd never felt so free and alive. She'd only felt like this with …. Her mind just wouldn't find the name or the person. Her fuzzy memory didn't concern her. The two women, her friends who loved her so completely and without trepidation and reservation, were loving her still. She had nothing to compare it to or against. She hadn't had many lovers in her years, but those that she had; she'd loved so completely that when she lost them, she thought her heart would break.

The Darkness that was in her was loving this strange twist in events. She knew that she loved Rachel and Quinn deeply. They had been together for years, but they never had experienced love like this together. She knew that it should strike her as odd, but she didn't care.

She felt cold kisses across her forehead and saw the worried look in Quinn's eyes. She smiled at the blonde hoping that it would reassure that she was alright with how things were going, escalating between them and that she wasn't frightened. She was barely holding her magic back, but she was doing it. She didn't think that this was some elaborate test, but she couldn't help but wonder why Rachel and Quinn waited until now to take her.

Hands moved across her body, tan and pale. The push and pull between them sucked her in. She marveled at the difference in their technique. While Quinn seemed too reserved in the moment, Danni could tell that she was rough and thorough as a lover. Rachel while not meek and mild, had a more tender approach to her claiming of Danni's body. It was soothing and peaceful. Danni could lose herself in the chaos and serenity that they were causing. She adored it.

Small hands found her hips, grinding them back against Rachel's. Another moan escaped. She was losing the battle of desire and she was happy about it.

A tentative pale hand move slowly, gracefully, down her chest to her breast. She felt them kneaded and squeezed. There was a softness to the skin that was almost free of calluses touching her naked body. She reveled in the feeling and wished for more.

Quinn circled her nipple, never quite giving her what she wanted, but just enough to make her body crave and beg for her touch. Rachel's hands found her thighs about the same time that Quinn's mouth began its assault on her bosom. Danni felt like she was having an out of body experience. Nothing in the last hundred years could have prepared her for such wonder.

As Quinn pushed her down slightly as Rachel continued to pull her backwards towards her. Quinn was attacking her upper body with lips and hands, while Rachel used her fingers to get Danni to spread herself open for them. Rachel's hands were all over her thighs and hips. Danni's body was on fire and the desire to please both of them crept over her. She sighed and it turned into a moan.

 _"Danni?"_ Quinn questioned as she moaned again.

Her body rocked up into Quinn's and then down into Rachel's. She needed the contact with both of them. Her skin started to crave their touch. Her magic called to them. She was sure of it.

 _"Quinn, is she okay?"_ Rachel asked.

Danni wanted to scream out that she was fine. She just needed them closer, oh so closer. She couldn't explain her need, her want, the passion growing inside her. She opened her eyes to see Quinn staring down at her. Questions in her eyes, but Danni didn't have any answers. She was just lost to the feelings that they were creating with their touch.

She felt loved. She felt like she was home. And, she never wanted the feelings that were stirring inside her to end. She burrowed into both of them.

Suddenly, she felt the cool sheets beneath her naked back. She opened her eyes to see Quinn hovering over her. Her eyes were dark and passionate. Quinn watched her as she touched her breasts, like a hunter watching their prey waiting to strike. She moaned out a sigh. She chanced a glance down her own body to see Rachel getting comfortably between her legs.

The soft caress of Rachel's hand lured her to relax and just enjoy further. Quinn teased her and riled her while Rachel calmed her and gave her body the adoration that it was craving. A hand slipped between her legs and found her warmth, her need, her core. She arched off the bed, a scream tearing from her throat.

Quinn leaned down and kissed her again. She broke the kiss and began to whisper words of comfort and encouragement as she felt Rachel moving below. She couldn't look. She couldn't see anything but Quinn above her. She felt the swipe of her tongue on her lips and Danni opened her mouth for Quinn to devour her further. She wasn't disappointed.

As Quinn was kissing her into oblivion, Rachel had other plans with Danni's body. Danni couldn't see what she was doing but she felt the first tentative swipe of Rachel's tongue. It was soft and slow, like she was asking for permission. Danni moaned it out as loud as her feeble body would allow her, but somehow through the expulsion of air and sound, Rachel understood.

Danni came off the bed with each new sensation. Quinn tried to help Rachel hold her down as the sucked and licked at her core. But, not wanting to be left out of the situation, Danni felt Quinn's hand slide down her torso, over her breasts and stomach, until she found her wetness. One finger touched her intimately and sent Danni soaring.

A groan tore through her body as she exploded below them. It started at her core and moved outwards. She could see a white blinding light float from her and she wasn't sure if it was magic or just her orgasm. She didn't care. She'd never felt like that before just from someone's touch. There had been so much love between them. There were no words needed.

She was convulsing with the aftershocks. She felt the world buzzing around her. Her magic was keeping the euphoric feeling heightened around her. She smiled and let out a low moan.

 _"Quinn?"_

 _"Yes, Rachel?"_

 _"Why is she moaning like that? Is she okay? Should we get one of her mother's?"_

 _"I don't know, Rach. I don't know. I don't know what we're doing. She needs more sleep. Whatever she did earlier set off her magic and she still hasn't calmed completely."_

 _"We've been holding her for an hour. I've only felt her relax for a few seconds. Then, she would tense back up. She grabbed my hip so hard that one time, I am sure I'm bruised."_

 _"I don't know what to do, Rachel. I don't know anything about magic. I mean I was reading those books, but seeing it and reading it are two different things," Quinn told her._

Danni felt herself sobering. They had just been holding her. She opened her eyes. They were clothed. Nothing had transpired between them. Had she been asleep while they were holding?

"Quinn…" she mumbled out.

"I'm here, Danni. What do you need? Do you need me to do something?"

She rolled to see Rachel. Tears filled her eyes. It had all been a lie. She couldn't stay there. Her magic and her heart were at war. She was going to go insane before she helped anyone. She couldn't get her body and her mind to work together the way she needed to. The pain came back. The fever grew in her blood. The magic called to her in ways she didn't want.

"I need…" she started to say.

"What? What do you need Danni? What is it?" Rachel asked.

"Santana…Brittany…Belle…"

"We sent them away," Quinn told her.

"Need San…Britt…'Elle…" she stumbled over the words.

Her body convulsed again. Rachel and Quinn stared at each other, unsure of what she meant. Rachel reached out to touch her burning skin, but Danni jerked away at the gesture. Quinn tried to grab her, to still her, to comfort her, but she thrashed and fought so hard until Quinn let her go.

"Please…"

"She wants us to get them," Rachel stated.

Quinn scrunched up her face in question. She didn't understand why she would be asking for Santana and Brittany. It wasn't that they weren't her friends, but she was closer to Quinn and Rachel than she ever had been with S and B. She was a little hurt by it, but she couldn't let Rachel or Danni see that. She had to be strong for them. She wanted to help Danni, but she just didn't know that much about magic. She would need help, too.

"I'll go get them."

"Okay," Quinn told Rachel as she scrambled off the bed.

Her hazel eyes met Danni's dark eyes and held. There were so many questions between them and Quinn wanted to ask her, but she was afraid. She was afraid that Danni would retreat inside herself and they would never get her to come back out.

"Is it your heart?" Quinn asked her.

"I can't…you wouldn't understand…please…"

"Rachel went to get them," Quinn told her, squeezing her arm and watching Danni close her eyes tightly like she was excruciating pain.

"Thank you," Danni whispered and passed out.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

It had been three days since Quinn shoved Danni's heart back in her chest. Quinn and Rachel hadn't left the rooms. Santana and Brittany had been following Belle, trying to learn everything that they could. Slowly and randomly, Rachel would tell them something and they would relay to the rest of the family. Will had taken to camping outside the rooms in hopes that she would get some good news quicker. It didn't help.

Rachel called for Belle after the first day. Danni hadn't woken and they were afraid. They'd never seen anything like it. Rachel knew that they were ill equipped to deal with anything magical, but they still had to try.

In refusing to leave Danni's side, they alienated Emma and Regina, who might have helped them. There was just something about the situation that wouldn't allow either Rachel or Quinn to ask for their help. Instead a list of questions, requests, and concerns were delivered each day to Belle at breakfast. They were all upset about the situation, but Belle assured them all that Quinn was doing the right thing.

Regina hated to admit but she was. Quinn had calmed her daughter. She had been there for Danni when she had no one else. She could understand surrounding herself with people that actually cared and weren't trying to use her for her power. The four girls that had come with her seemed worthy of her esteem, but they still frightened Regina somewhat and she didn't know why. There was no outward reason that she should be scare of four non-magical women. She didn't have a logical explanation. As Emma would say, she was trusting her gut.

Belle on the other hand gave them whatever they wanted. Snow and Emma seemed to follow their lead. They were all wary of the Latina because of her fiery temper and her boisterous nature. But, Brittany fit in with them easily. She would spend time each day with Ruby. Belle didn't understand why and every time she questioned Brittany about it, she would tell her it was because Ruby asked her to come. Belle would give her a look and then shake it off. They were in a magical world. Stranger things were known to have happened.

On the fourth day, Rachel sent for Brittany, Santana and Belle. This time the plea was urgent. There seemed to be some other sort of reason behind it, but Belle couldn't tell what. They rushed to Danni's side, Regina and Emma close on their heels. And, this time her mothers weren't refused at the door. They were just asked to wait in the living room area until there was news or they were needed.

Regina agreed reluctantly and paced before the hearth. Emma sat on one of the couch and watched her wife pace. Santana stayed with them and sat at the table with a book on heroes that she decided to read after making some comment about wanting to know Fairy Tale Lands fairy tales and the magic cures in them. If anyone had bothered to ask, Santana was really reading it so she could understand more about the stories that Brittany had been asking about.

Belle emerged from the room. She didn't look happy. She didn't look sad, either. She looked indifferent but slightly defeated. It was like she was at a loss to understand what was happening with Danni and somehow she knew that it correlated with what was going on with Ruby.

"There's no change. She's still sleeping. They say that she's been moaning in her sleep and when they try to ask her something, she opens her mouth to speak, but nothing comes."

"Will they allow Wilhelmina to kiss her?" Emma asked.

"She isn't under a sleeping curse and until we know what is causing her fever, no one with magic should be near her, for their safety and hers. I know that it isn't ideal, but we have to respect Danni's wishes in this matter. She would never forgive us if we didn't," Belle told them.

"Fuck that, Bookworm. I'm going in there. I'll get her to talk," Santana told her jumping up from the table and heading for the door.

Wilhelmina had just come in at that time with some food and wine. She saw the fiery Latina stalking the door, blustered and almost peacocking her way into the room. She smiled. She couldn't help herself. The Latina reminded her too much of herself and Regina combined.

An hour later, Santana emerged from the room with a string of Spanish expletives. She walked back across the room and sat down. Will decided to join her. She wondered what the Latina would tell her about Danni's condition.

Time seemed to slow down. Snow would come in the room and get Regina and Emma to leave for at least their meals. She didn't want the castle gossiping more than it was and having the reigning sovereigns skipping meals to attend to an ill non-recognized child would make waves. Other times, Snow would bring them tea and books. Charming had even brought a load of wood for the fire. Usually Wilhelmina did this, but she had taken a shine to the Latina and decided to make her acquaintance and be friendly.

"What do you want, Fire Truck?" Santana asked her.

"Fire Truck?"

"Well I am not going to call you, Will Scarlet or Ser Knight. Cause, I am just not. And, I don't care if you are a princess, either. Hell, I really just liked the way it sounded," Santana told her.

"Fair enough," Will replied.

Santana turned her head in confusion. She wasn't prepared for Will to be so…agreeable. She had been gearing up for a fight with the woman once she could put a face with the name and the relationship with Danni. She didn't want to like the woman on principle, but Will was making it hard. She was too agreeable, stubborn and beautiful. And, Santana had to admit that she had a nice ass, but she still liked Britt's better. She cocked an eyebrow at her before continuing.

"So, what do you want, Fire Truck?"

"You're close to Coraline…Danni, I mean, back in New York?"

"Hellz yeah we are. We have a Broadway production company. It's BRSQ. That's pronounced 'brisk.' Danni is our silent partner and director. She's amazing at getting the meaning of the words from Quinn's page to her stage. And, Berry…she can sing it, act it and make you believe it. We've become a powerhouse, Broadway royalty if you will, and we enjoy it."

"You like power?"

"Who doesn't?" Santana asked.

Will looked her over again. She could see the signs and she wondered if anyone could. She doubted it, but then again, Emma was the only one that had run into magical creatures outside of Storybrooke, even if she didn't know it at the time. Will had seen many of their kind, refugees of a war or curse, learning to function in a world with magic. But, some were so strong, like the dragon in Phuket, and they overcame the pesky problem of no natural magic in that realm by simply making it themselves. She never wanted that kind of power, so she opted to blend in with the locals. When things got rough or too many questions were being asked, she simply moved.

"I don't."

"That's because you have it naturally. Oh, don't look at me like that. I've been reading up on you, Missy. I know about the little thing with Regina. Kinky I must add, just kinky, but whatever floats your boat, right? But, anyway, a race of immortal humanoid people from a land of volcanoes and islands. Do you have any relatives in Japan or Hawai'i?"

"Not that I am aware of, no. But, then again, it's been almost five years since I'd been out of Storybrooke, must less left the Eastern Seaboard. I miss Boston."

"Why?"

"It became my home," Will stated.

"And now?"

"Danni is my home."

"Oh, don't make me gag. Please…no, really, please. It is bad enough having to deal with Rachel and Quinn. I don't think I could handle two immortals. It would be just too much."

Will laughed. It was quiet but jovial. And, suddenly, the mood in the room lifted…for just a few seconds, but it was enough for them all to realize how much they were will do for love.

"Can I ask you a question?" Will asked her.

"Go ahead," Santana replied.

"Why are you here?"

"For Danni," Santana stated.

"No, really, why are you here?"

"For Danni and for Quinn."

"Why is Quinn here?"

"For Danni."

"Why?"

"Because she saved Rachel," San answered simply.

"But why are you here? That explains Rachel and Quinn, but you? You're harder than they are. Why would you make this your fight? Why would you help Danni?" Will probed.

"Because she helped Quinn."

Will cocked her head. She didn't know what to make of the women. They had been there for a few days and Will felt drawn to Santana more than the other three. She just couldn't explain it.

"How are you and Quinn friends?" Will finally asked.

"How are you and Regina?"

"Touché, but seriously, you both seem to have a different dynamic than the other two. What is it about Quinn that made you become her friend? Why do you defend her so much?" Will inquired.

"We became friends in high school."

"Why?"

"She walked in like she owned the place. She became the head cheerleader and Queen B of the school. People feared her. Girls wanted to be her. I decided that we could help each other. I realized early on at Cheer Camp that she didn't have the stomach to do certain things. I became her enforcer. Brittany, well, she is just bubbly and befriended us both. Quinn's home life wasn't the greatest and I could understand it. Mine wasn't either. We bonded over parents that threw money at us to make us happy. We didn't know what real love was supposed to be until Rachel and Brittany showed us. So, when they both wanted to help Danni, we agreed. But, I think that Quinn was going to do it on her own anyway. She and Danni have bonded so much with their writing. I don't know what happened to Danni, and it isn't my place to ask, but if anyone here hurts her, it isn't just me that you have to worry about," Santana told her.

"Quinn would hurt someone for her?" Will questioned.

"Without a second thought."

"That's good to know," Will replied.

"Why?"

"Because I love Danni and I always will."

"Look, Quinn is reacting to everything the only way she knows how. She rushes in and fights her way back out. She's been reading and trying to comprehend this magic stuff, but for us, it's hard. We've never had it. It was all make believe before, you know? And, now, we can see it, feel it, and we know that there is a lot of magic in this place. We can't deny it. And, for her that is hard, because I know what she is thinking," Santana stated.

"And, what's that?"

"How much easier her life could have been if she was magical," Santana replied.

"She's going to get better," Will stated.

"And, you know this how?"

"I have to believe it. And, I think that she is the only thing that can help Ruby. I don't know how you four fit into this, but for some reason you do. I sure that if Ruby was well she'd come up with some strange correlation or something. She was always good at sniffing things out."

"Did you just make a werewolf joke?" Santana asked her.

"I did," Will replied, laughing.

Santana couldn't help it. She did, too. But, she stopped when she saw Brittany coming out of the room. She stood up and dropped the book on the table.

Brittany looked like she had tears in her eyes. Santana set her jaw. She wasn't ready to deal with an upset Brittany. Things had been going well. There should be a reason that Brittany was upset unless…unless something happened to Danni.

Will watched them. She hoped that the thoughts running through her head were wrong. She needed Danni to be okay. She needed to tell her that she loved her. She needed Danni to know that she didn't care about the past, that they could have a future together, and that she would do anything for her. She didn't care about anything but Danni. Danni was her reason for living.

"Britt?" Santana asked, pain lacing her voice.

"Her fever is spiking. Belle says that it is magic induced. Her body is fighting it, but this is worse than she when she was becoming the Dark One. She is beside herself. She doesn't know what to do to stop the fever. She's asked Regina, but every time she nears the room to see her, Danni freaks out. She keeps calling her the Black Queen," Brittany told her.

"I know something that might help," Will stated.

"What?"

"It is a tea, but the leaves are hard to get."

"Let's go," Santana told her.

"What do you mean, 'let's go.'? I can't leave her. They need me here," Will said.

"Yes, you can. Belle and Brittany will be with her. We can go. Britt, get Quinn. Will get some horses and whatever else we might need. We leave within the hour," Santana told her.

"And, who decided that you were in charge of this endevour?" Will asked.

"I did," Regina stated as she joined them. "Take whatever you need. And, this too."

Santana reached out for the object. She glanced at it turning it over in her hands before she realized that it was a mirror. She looked up at the fiery Queen.

"Enchanted Forest cell phone?"

"You could call it that. Now, go. I don't know how much longer Belle can keep her calm and cool. We need to break this fever or we might lose her to insanity," Regina told them.

Santana nodded and started for the door. She turned around when she realized that Will wasn't with her. She went back, kissed Brittany, told her to get Quinn ready, and grabbed Will, dragging her out of the room and towards the stables.

Meanwhile in Danni's private room, Quinn and Rachel sat on a lounger and watched as Belle did some simple magic. Brittany came back in and gave Quinn a look. Deep blue met worried hazel. Quinn leaned over, kissed Rachel on the check and then went to Brittany.

"What is it?"

"Will may have an antidote or medicine or something."

"Okay, and?"

"Santana is making her go. She wants you to get ready. You're going with them. Regina has given you all full royal backing. They left to go get some horses," Brittany told her.

"How soon?"

"Within the hour," Britt replied.

"Will you stay with them?" Quinn asked.

"Of course," Britt told her.

Quinn nodded. She walked back over to where Rachel was sitting. She kissed her. Rachel turned and looked up into her eyes. She knew that Quinn was leaving. She didn't know where she was going or what she was doing, but she knew. She could see it in Quinn's eyes.

"Be careful."

"Always for you, _mi Estrella,_ " Quinn told her.

"Come back to me," Rachel demanded.

"As soon as I can, Love, as soon as I can."

And with that Quinn left Danni's side. She got into the main rooms and saw the rest of the family waiting. She looked around until she saw Emma.

"Emma?"

"Yes," the blond queen replied looking up at her.

"I need your help," Quinn stated.

"With what?"

"Do you have an archery set that I could borrow?"

Emma smiled. She nodded and headed for the door to the suite. Quinn looked around. She gave them all a weak smile. She didn't know what lay beyond the castle and at that moment, she should be frightened by that fact. She wasn't. She was worried about Danni.

"Didn't figure a cheerleader turned playwright for an archer," Emma told her as they made their way towards the armoury.

"There is a lot about me that no one knows, milady," Quinn replied.

"Oh, please don't say that. I hate that. Just call me Emma."

"Fine, Emma," Quinn said.

They walked in silence. There was really nothing for either of them to say. It was odd, because Quinn knew from the stories that Belle had told them over the last few days, and all the other literature that Quinn had gotten her hands on, that she and Emma had a very similar background. They should be able to carry on a conversation and be friendly towards one another. Instead they walked in silence, each consumed by their thoughts of Danni and her well-being.

When they walked into the armoury, Emma stopped just inside. She knew that Will would be there soon. She would take every precaution that she could. Quinn turned around to face her and Emma just pointed at a rack in the center of the room.

Quinn walked over. She grabbed a bow and tested it. She did this a few more times before she found a yew bow that was painted green with golden swirls on it. She tested it. It was perfect. She reached over into a quiver and snagged an arrow. She drew and found a target. She loosed the arrow and it found it's mark…bullseye.

"Well, shit, Q, when did you learn to do that?" Santana asked her as she and Will joined them.

"A long time ago at a camp far, far away," Quinn teased.

Will smirked. They were teasing each other to get through their pain. It was how they functioned. No wonder they were good friends with Danni. Emma couldn't suppress her smile either. She nodded at Quinn, who grabbed two quivers and then bow before rejoining them.

"Two?" Will asked.

"Yeah," Quinn replied, "One for the horse and one for me."

Will understood. Quinn was thinking like a warrior. She didn't know where she got the instinct, but even Will had to admit that Quinn was ready.

Santana grabbed a sword and threw it at Quinn before grabbing another one. They both drew them and started sparring. It was a quick fight with no clear winner.

"What kind of cheerleaders are you?" Emma asked them.

"You'd need to meet our coach. Then, you'd understand. Trust me. She was …."

"The worst person ever, but she taught us how to survive," Santana finished for her.

They gathered their weaponry and armor, keeping it light for both their sakes and the horses. They were both surprised when Emma handed them some clothes. Will just smiled as they looked at the insignias on them.

"What's this?" Quinn asked pointing at the embroidery.

"It makes you an envoy of the Three Queens. No one would dare touch you. Plus, I am sure that Regina's given them some sort of magical boost."

"What the hell does that mean?" Santana asked.

Quinn looked up at Emma. She shook her head before turning to look at her friend, the fiery Latina. She pulled the jerkin over her shirt and attached the cloak.

"Welcome to the family, Santana. We are now officially royal sister to the Loban of the Wolves, Princess Royal of the Kingdoms of the Winterlands and Summerlands, and defender of the Enchanted Forest," Quinn told her.

"In English please," Santana demanded.

"Emma basically just knighted us and added us to her family."

"Meaning?" Santana asked looking at the green-eyed Queen.

"Meaning that you have the protection of my knights and my people. If you need anything, ask. They will provide. And, other kingdoms will treat you as royalty. You are now cousins of the crown and as such will be afforded all the rights and privileges that it pertains."

"Only you, Q, could be here for a week and make us HBICs again," Santana stated with a laugh.

"We should go," Will stated.

"Emma?"

"Yeah, Quinn?"

"Do me one favor while we're gone?"

"Anything," she told her.

"Make sure that Rachel and Brittany are taken care no matter what happens to us. You promise me that you will get them back to New York. Will you do that?" Quinn demanded.

"I will."

"Then, hopefully we'll be back soon."

"How long do you want me to wait for you?" Emma asked as they mounted to head out.

Quinn looked at Emma and then Will. She didn't know. She couldn't fathom the things that they might run into while looking for these leaves that Will knew about. She didn't know what to tell her. Finally, she didn't have to, Will did it for her.

"If we aren't back by the end of the month, take them back. Use the mirror. Danni's left it open somehow I'm sure. She'd want to be able to run if things got too…"

"The spell is in the book on the table in my room," Santana stated.

They all looked to the Latina, Quinn in disbelief. Emma shook her head. She knew what it meant for them to be telling her this. She would care for their loved ones because they were caring for hers. She wouldn't fail them.

"I'll do as you ask," Emma said and slapped Santana's horse's ass.

They took off through the front gate of the castle into a world they could only dream about, searching for some mythical leaves, to try to save their friend. For Emma, it was just another day. For them, it would become the adventure of a lifetime.

"Godspeed, girls. Godspeed," Emma said at the empty gate.

Regina was pacing when Emma returned to the suite. She could see the worry in her lover's eyes. Before she could speak, could ask Emma what they were doing, she went into Danni's room. Regina didn't follow her.

Emma walked up to the bed and looked down at her daughter. She knelt down beside her and leaned over to her ear. She brushed the damp dark hair off her forehead.

"I promised them, Coraline. I will take care of your friends. But, you have to promise me. I know you can hear me in there. You promise me that you will continue to fight. Don't stop fighting. You haven't stopped before, so don't you stop now. You are the fucking Survivor, do you hear me? You will survive this. You will be stronger because of it. I am not letting you go, again, Coraline. You are my daughter and I will fight for you, so you fight for me. Got it?"

Danni's eyes fluttered. She opened her mouth and took a ragged breath. Emma knew that she had to be in pain. The fever was ravaging her brain worse than the Darkness did and that was what they didn't understand. Why couldn't Will just kiss her better? It wasn't a curse. They learned that much from Will's attempt. Magic was keeping her alive and cool, but it seemed that it was Danni's sheer will that was keeping her breathing. She hadn't given up…yet.

"Don't you quit on me, kiddo. We never quit on you. If I have to die to make you better, I will. You know that. Please, just hang on and fight. You can beat this," Emma told her.

Emma sat back. She looked over at Rachel and Brittany. They all had tears in their eyes.

They all heard Danni take another harsh breath. The only thing that made Rachel happy about hearing her breathe was that Danni was still breathing. And, it didn't sound wet. As long as it wasn't wet, Rachel didn't have a reason to be scared. She held Brittany's hand. They needed to be strong for each other, for their loves out on adventure, and their friend battling God knows what inside her.

"Ma…"

They all turned to look at Danni. Rachel was off the lounger and on the bed beside the woman. She watched with silent, but happy tears, as Danni's eyes fluttered open.

"Ma…" she moaned out again.

"I'm here, Coraline. I'm here. I promise. I'm right beside you."

"Ma…"

"I'm here, baby."

"…I…Ma…I…"

"What is it, kiddo? Just tell me. Anything, I don't care."

"…Ma…I…" she licked her lips and continued, "Ma…I…promise."

Emma stared at her daughter. Rachel reached out to check her breathing because her eyes closed. Brittany reached out to touch her leg, to let her know that she wasn't alone.

"I promise…" Danni said again before everything went quiet again.


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

Emma sat back in the chair. She didn't know what else to do. If she wasn't in the room with Ruby, she was in the room with Coraline…Danni, her daughter. She would smile at Rachel and Brittany who never left her side. Occasionally Belle or Regina would come take her place or she theirs as they each took turns with their two loves, Ruby and Danni.

Regina would cast cooling spells over her Danni every few hours to help her body deal with the fever. Blue and Tink would do what they could, but it seemed that magic could not cure whatever was ailing her. And, it troubled them all. There only hope rested in the adventures of Will, Santana and Quinn. Their own unlikely group of heroes.

Regina watched Rachel especially seeing how close she was to Danni. She didn't know why the young woman intrigued her so much. She couldn't understand how such a small woman with no royal blood, or bearing, or rearing, could command others so easily. It was like watching Snow with the dwarves. She was just…mesmerizing. And, she never shut up, which for some odd reason made Regina smile and like her even more. She knew that it didn't make sense, but she didn't care. It was obvious that the pint sized woman cared for her daughter and that was really all she needed to know.

"Belle told you what happened that night when we found each other, didn't she?" Rachel asked her one night when it was just the two of them alone in Danni's room.

"She did."

"I love her, you know. But, not how I love Quinn and not how Will loves her, but I do. I love her as much as I love Santana and Brittany," Rachel stated.

"I can see that," Regina replied.

"I'll do anything that I can to help her."

"I've noticed."

"Your Majesty?"

Regina turned to face her. She could see something in her eyes. Rachel as scared, but Regina didn't know what she was afraid of. She nodded at the younger woman for her continue.

"Is there anything that I can do?"

"I don't know."

"I overheard Belle saying that it isn't magic, but are you sure?"

"Why do you ask?" Regina questioned her.

"I don't know. I…I just…I want to believe that we are doing everything that we can for her. I know I don't know much about magic or the ways of this land, but I would think that there has to be some sort of cure, right? She can't be suffering from something not of this realm, right?"

Regina didn't know what to say. The little diva may be on to something. She hadn't thought about that because she already tried with Ruby and failed. When Will's kiss didn't cure her, they assumed that it wasn't magical. But, what if it was, it just wasn't a magical curse from the Enchanted Forest? Regina knew a lot about magic, but she wasn't sure that she could cure it even if they found out what it was and how to deal with it.

"I suppose that could be the answer," Regina stated as her mind began to wonder about who she would contact later to see if they knew anything from their realms that resembled Danni's malady, and she knew just who to start with.

"I mean, could this be something that we brought with us?"

Regina stopped her train of thought and looked at Rachel. She had a point. Was this something from Earth that was affecting and that was why magic wasn't working? Regina wasn't sure. She'd have to check the books that Belle had to see. But, it gave her a new angle in which to try to treat her daughter. She gave a Rachel a strange smile.

"I don't know, Rachel. It could be. It very well could be. There are things from your world that even magic can't cure without help," Regina answered.

"Like what?" Rachel asked, suddenly very curious.

"A broken heart," Regina spoke from experience.

"I don't think anyone has the cure of that. If they did, no one would ever get hurt and we wouldn't learn to appreciate what we have. We would learn how to love fiercely enough to let go when needed and suffer in silence. Do you think that is what happened? Do you think that because she didn't have her heart, she was suffering in silence?"

Regina shook her head. She wasn't sure how much about magic Belle and Danni told them in the few days in Storybrooke before they came through the mirror, but she was sure it wasn't enough. However that didn't make Regina stop pondering Rachel's questions, they were just running through her brain and she was shifting from all the knowledge that Rumple had imparted on her to try to find the answers. She was coming up blank and the books weren't helping either.

"I really don't know, but I doubt it. Heart magic doesn't work that way. Especially here."

"Heart magic?" Rachel inquired.

"Yes, magic of hearts. There are many tales as to why we can remove them, but most are sinister and not generally pleasant. The fact of the matter is that when someone removes your heart and they keep it, they can control you. You don't feel emotions as deeply and generally just react because your brain tells you to, based upon past experience. There is no real thought behind it."

"I understand that now. After seeing Danni the night she saved and the following days, she was completely different when she returned to us. She wasn't the same but I just assumed it was due to our time apart. We had grown apart in the months we weren't together. We had faced things alone and hadn't been able to talk about it with each other. She gave me emotional responses, but you're right when you say that they weren't fully emotional responses. I've seen her cry. I held her and she held me in the nights following my attack."

"Did you ever ask her why?" Regina asked her.

"I tried once. She turned the question around on me. She didn't want to talk about her past. She was very closeted that way and I don't mean about her sexuality. It was about everything. She wouldn't really tell us about her parents or family. Needless to say we were surprised when Belle showed up. We thought that she was a war orphan from Europe that grew up in the States. She seemed well educated, but we didn't know from where. She never told us of anything before that strange week she stayed with me or the time between it and her rejoining us."

"Not once?"

"No, your Majesty, not once did she betray who she really was. But no matter what she didn't tell us, we could see the pain her eyes. She couldn't deny that. We knew that something nearly destroyed her and we weren't going to push her into telling us what it was. We just kept telling her that we were there for her. We did little things to let her know that we cared."

"I am sure that she appreciated it all," Regina told her.

"Oh, I am sure that she did. But, all of this is her fault. I have no one to blame but her."

Regina turned to face her again. She saw the sadness and possibly anger in the younger woman's soulful brown eyes. Just when she was about to say something to her, Rachel turned back to Danni. She watched the younger woman stand from her chair and take the two steps closer to the bed that Danni was on. When the diva turned back up to face Regina, she could see the tears that had formed in her eyes.

A few seconds later, Brittany came in and took her hand. Rachel instantly calmed. Regina felt herself calm as well and she didn't know why. She looked over at the blond dancer and began to wonder if she was the reason. It seemed like a logical reason the more that Regina thought about it. It seemed that whenever Brittany was around tempers stopped flaring or didn't at all. If she was near, everyone seemed calm and steady in their emotional upheaval.

She cocked her head as she watched the movements and silent body language between the two younger women. She made a mental note to talk to Belle the first chance that she got. She stood up and went to the door. She was comfortable leaving Danni with the two of them and not just because Tink and Blue were in there with them. She knew that the younger women cared for her daughter in a way that only a good friend could. She wished that she'd had that when she was younger. She wished that Emma had had that as well.

The more she watched the interactions between the four women and Danni; the more she wished that she could have seen them in New York. There was a dynamic that she hadn't seen since Ruby and Snow. They were like a group of sisters that didn't need blood to bond them. A slow smile crept across her face.

Emma came in the room just as she reached for the door. They shared a look before she just took Emma's hand and pulled her out of the room. She kissed her, deeply, and Emma couldn't suppress the moan that escaped her lips. When Regina broke the kiss, she smiled up into Emma's burning green eyes. Their love had been tested for years, but they always made it through and they were both determined to make it through this, with everyone intact and alive.

Emma let her pull them both away from Danni's suite. She didn't need to know why. She'd seen enough in Regina's eyes. There were questions that needed answering and they couldn't do it by their daughter's side. She was in good care and Emma knew that if something seemed off, they could always poof to her side in an instant if needed. She prayed that it wouldn't be needed, but it was still there if they needed it.

Regina practically made her run, hand in hand, to Ruby's room. They crossed the castle almost as fast as they had the night that Coraline jumped through the portal in her room. It had been the screams of a tormented and broken-hearted Wilhelmina that called them there. Emma never asked Regina about how she knew that they were needed, she just held on tight and wished that her fears weren't coming true. But, this was different. There wasn't a torment in her eyes. For once in a long time, Emma saw hope growing in her wife's eyes and she was determined to keep it there. She'd made Danni a promise and she meant it. She would willingly give herself up if it would help. She knew that Regina would do the same. She knew that it wasn't a viable option, but if she could find a way to give up some of her life force in order to help her, she would.

They burst into Ruby's room. Belle turned to look up at them. She had been bathing Ruby, since she was alone with her for a few minutes. She dropped the rag back into the bowl.

"I have an idea," Regina told them both.

"An idea?" Belle asked

"Yes, it might sound strange, but I believe that Brittany has some sort of powers. She may not even know it. I want to test her."

"Are you sure that is wise?" Emma asked her, not discounting what she was saying.

"I don't really know, but I believe that she might help us get more insight into what is plaguing both Ruby and Danni. Belle, I'll need your help in convincing her to do this, though. I am not sure they know what to do with me," Regina commented.

"Can you blame them, Regina? They have no idea what they've stepped into. They came here to help Danni find a cure for Ruby. They really didn't know what that meant and Danni surely didn't mean to have …well, whatever happened to her happen," Emma told them both.

"I can't, no. But, I think that there is more to those four than they know themselves. There has to be for them to be drawn to Coraline…Danni like that. They are like four personal knights to her. It doesn't matter that they know that she can handle herself. They aren't going to do that alone. That says a lot to me. The fact that they came here, knowing that they didn't know fully what they were getting into, and they still did it anyway tells me a lot more. There is a level of respect among them that I have only seen in my knights and amongst us, after everything that we've been through."

"What are you saying?" Belle asked.

"I am saying that there is something magical between the four of them and possibly that is why Danni was drawn to them. I don't know how to prove it and I am not sure that I can. But, I would like to start by testing Brittany. She seems to have some control over emotions."

"She's an empath?" Belle inquired.

"I don't know. It is possible. We know how many magical beings fled our world for something with the less magic to control them. In Storybrooke, magic didn't control us until Rumple released it. There was power among us, but it was hierarchal in nature. Once magic was introduced and everyone had their memories, things changed. Sometimes dramatically."

"That's an understatement," Emma added.

Regina looked at her wife, cocked an eyebrow and then returned to Belle's face. She could see the wonderings beginning in the Bookworm's brain. A thought, a tiny thought, planted would become a new obsession for them both. They would research the hell out of it and then try to prove Regina's theory. Emma had seen it enough.

"But, how would we test her? She can't know that she's an empath. And, if she does, then she has very remarkable gifts. Even with some of her more naïve thoughts, Brittany can control them by her words. If she does truly have some sort magical power, they have to be serious strong, Regina. She's been doing this for years it seems. She has control, but to what end? What would be the purpose for her? Why would you need to know if she really has that kind of power? We aren't at war with anyone," Belle stated.

"I know that, Bookworm. I do. But, knowing that we have an empath here…"

"We are not swaying anyone's minds to do anything," Emma told them both.

"Emma…"

"NO! There will be no mind control. No emotional control either. If she truly is an empath, she might not fully understand the nature of her power. Hell, she might not even realize that she is doing it. All she may know is how her presences affects her friends and as long as it is a happy effect, leave her be. I will not let you push them into using their powers, if any of them have them. I know what it is like to grow up there and read about magic and wish for it. I know what it is like to grow up wanting fairy tales to be true, but when you find out they are…nothing is the same again. It is enough stress on their minds right now just to be here," Emma explained.

"We need to let them figure it out on their own," Belle added. "Regina, Emma is right. If we push them into accepting their gifts, if they have any, we will be condemning them to a life they don't fully understand. Danni may not stay, but then again, she might. If she does, will we make room for the four of them in our inner circle? Will we give them the support they need because all three of us know that they aren't going to leave anytime soon? And, if we don't help them, or give them the support they need because we have magic, will we doom them to return to New York without their magical abilities and without Danni, possibly? I am not willing to take that risk. And, I know that Danni wouldn't be either."

"I don't want to hurt them," Regina stated.

"It isn't about pain, Regina. It is about putting them on the edge of the cliff and asking them to jump. It took you breaking a rope bridge for me to admit that I have strong magic and to use. My problem is that I rarely use it for myself unless it is for survival. Then my instincts kick in. We don't know what they've been through or what they know about any powers they may possess if any. If you test them, they may break. And, Danni would never forgive us."

"I just want her to come in here with Ruby," Regina replied quietly.

They all looked at each other. Blue and green eyes met the dark mahogany and held them. There was something that Regina wasn't vocalizing, but it hung in the air. It seemed so obvious once she hadn't said it fully. She'd hinted with her words, but Regina had never fully come out and said it. Belle smiled. She knew what test Regina wanted to try.

"You want her to talk to Ruby?" Belle asked once she realized what Regina wanted.

"I want her to try."

"Because she's an empath?" Emma questioned.

"If she really is an empath, she might be able to tap into Ruby's emotions and find a way to communicate with her. Heavens and all the gods know we've tried everything else. But, do you really think that it'll work? She's had no formal training. It would be like the blind leading the blind," Belle stated.

"That much may be true, but she seems to pick up on things quickly from what I've seen. She does have a childlike wonder to her, but I think that it because of how strongly she feels things. If she can make a connection with Ruby, then maybe we can figure out what's wrong with her and help her. And, if she can't, then she's spent some time with Ruby talking. No real foul in that, is there?" Regina asked them.

"No, I guess not," Emma replied. "But, can empaths really do that? Could she break past whatever is ailing Ruby in order to help her? And, if she can, why didn't we already try it?"

"Because there are no more empaths in the Enchanted Forest that I know of," Regina answered.

"But, why?"

"Long before Regina was born, there was a war. It was long and tedious. Neither side seemed to be gaining ground or losing too much either. The true losses they were suffering were men and supplies. So in an effort to turn the tide, they turned to magical beings. Not fulling understanding their power or the consequences of said actions, both rival houses called upon the Lands of the Northmen, leagues to the north of the Winterlands to come help them sway their opponent into giving up and laying down their arms," Belle explained.

"So did it work?" Emma asked.

"A little too well," Regina replied.

"Once both sides agreed to call a truce and lay down their arms, a third kingdom to the East came sweeping in and conquered the lands for itself. See, while the other two kingdoms were fighting, it was prospering. It had enough food to feed its hungry. It had enough supplies to clothe its people and keep its army strong and maintained. They didn't lack for anything, but their king, while ruthless, was a shrewd planner. He stockpiled everything that he could and made sure to pay farmers more than what their crops were worth as long as they continued to grow them. He didn't mind make his country rich. He wanted it. Because the more prosperous he was, then more his people would allow him to do."

"So?" Emma questioned.

"Eventually, his thirst for power and riches became too great. The people began to question his motives. The other two kingdoms had called for a truce and here he was sweeping in to annihilate them all. They realized that he really didn't care about his people, but his purse. He wanted land, and lots of it."

"But, what does this have to do with the Empaths of the North…Northmen?" Emma inquired.

"They learned what became of the two kingdoms. They were a peaceful people and they'd used their powers to help the kingdoms realize that they would never have a true winner. That they could be stronger together, if they could find some common ground. The empaths made them realize that they really weren't that different. They were just from different parts of the world. But, the other kingdom came in so quickly that neither of the kingdoms could mount a defense and after years of war, they really didn't have an adequate defense to post," Belle explained.

"So what happened?"

"The two kingdoms feel. The people had to bow to the will of the ruthless king. The empaths weren't happy. They started revolts and riots. And what they didn't physically start, they planted the seeds of. They were slowly trying to help the people overthrow the king."

"What happened?" Emma probed.

"What any ruler at the time would have done," Regina stated.

"Which was?"

"Call upon forces that you can use at your will."

"Vulcannonians?" Emma asked.

"Yes."

"So the revolt?"

"Was decimated before it every really began, and with no leadership the king's rule tightened. When he learned that it was the Northmen, he sought out to destroy them. Some chose to stay and fight. Others fled because they believed that it was their fault. They thought that it was their power that caused the collapse of the two kingdoms. They blamed themselves and it caused much grief for their people."

"But, those that stayed? What happened to the ones that stayed to fight? Did they all die?"

"No, they didn't. But, they never spoke of their power again. They never wanted that kind of influence over anyone. They tried to hide their powers, but occasionally a child was born with such extraordinary talents that they couldn't be masked," Belle told her.

"And, the Vulcannonians were bloodthirsty when need be. Wilhelmina's own brother led campaigns in the North against them. It wasn't a pleasant time in the Enchanted Forest. But, tales of the blond haired, blue-eyed, Northmen empaths still were spoken of and discussed. There were whispers of certain individuals who seemed to possess the powers. And with each declaration, another family was destroyed," Regina stated.

"Until the Empaths joined with the Ulf coming down out of the mountains. It seemed that the Ulf were tired of the longest winters. They were dying out and had no fresh blood among them."

"So they came down to marry, and ended up befriending the empaths?" Emma asked.

"Something like that. It made the blood of the Ulf stronger. They managed to fight off the Vulcannonians and keep them at bay. It seems that the Vulcannonian royal family has a soft spot for the Ulf. Pyroxes, Will's father, married one, Anita's sister, thus making Ruby her cousin, but also his brother and sister married Ulf. They didn't stay with the packs of the Ulf, the clans of the Northmen, or with the families of the Vulcannon. They left for a new world, a new start, and many of them were not immortal. They were strong, empathic, hardy people capable of living in places that no one would dare to build a house and thrive."

"The Northmen became the Norse legends of Earth?" Emma questioned.

"Stranger things have happened," Belle stated.

"So what you're saying is, if I got this right, is that Brittany might be a distant cousin to Ruby and have empathic abilities and due to the diluted bloodlines of both the Ulf, and Wolves of the Enchanted Forest, and those of the Northmen Empaths, she could come speak with Ruby in a way that we can't?"

"Exactly," Regina answered.

"Well, then what you waiting for. Bring her in here and let's see what the dancer can do? I mean, she is just going to be talking to a comatose werewolf. There really isn't any harm in that, is there?" Emma rhetorically asked.

"It is just a theory," Belle stated.

"But, it is a crazy enough theory that you both want to try it. And, you're both hoping that it'll work. And, if it does, how are you going to explain that to Brittany? And, let's not forget Santana. That girl is a bitch on wheels. She will end you for this if it goes badly."

"I am willing to take that chance," Regina replied.

"Fine, it's your funeral. You explain that to our children. I'm going for a walk," Emma told them both as she left the room in a huff.

"She just needs some time," Belle told her.

"I know. She is thinking about this not as a princess of the realm but as Emma the orphan."

"Can you blame her?" Belle inquired.

"No, not really. She's still coming to grips with what she is. I can't imagine what this might do to those women. But, I don't think that it will affect Brittany as much as it will the others."

"I don't either. But, I can see where you're coming from, Regina. We'll need to tread lightly. She'll suspect something if you are too heavy handed about it. Let me ask her."

"As you wish, Bookworm."


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

Santana stared at the fire. Her skin itched and it crawled. She didn't know why and she wasn't going to say anything about it. She was more worried about Quinn and Will.

She was watching Will as she sharpened her sword. It seemed like it was not only methodical but also relaxing for the knight. She could understand that. She and Quinn both had their own routines before their cheerleading competitions back in high school.

"Are you preparing for a fight?" Quinn asked her.

"No, not really. I just want to be prepared. The last time that we were here...it just wasn't pleasant."

"Last time you were here?" Quinn inquired.

"Danni and I travelled through here on the way to getting George. I am not saying that there are still people that want to hurt me, but I am saying that this isn't really a friendly area. We are on the borders of Ulf. They like us, but I am not very fond of them. But that is personal."

"Borders of Ulf? Care to explain that? Cause we're following you here," Santana stated joining in their conversation.

Quinn and Will both looked over at her. They could see that Santana was antsy. She'd been getting more agitated the closer they had gotten to the border of Regina's lands. Will cocked her head and looked at her a little more closely. Then she looked up at the night sky before returning her piercing blue eyes back on Santana.

"Damn it," Will muttered quietly, but it was loud enough for Quinn to hear not only the agitation in her voice but something more like worry and dread.

"What is it?"

"I can't see the moon," Will replied.

Quinn looked at Santana. They didn't know what that meant. They both looked at Will as she stood up. She sheathed her sword and walked over to her horse. She grabbed something out of her saddlebags and walked back towards their fire. She leaned over the fire and lit it. That is when Quinn realized that it was a small torch. It wouldn't give off much light, but it would serve whatever purpose that Will had.

"Stay here. Don't leave the fire. And, for everything that is holy, don't shoot me when I come back. I shouldn't be gone long," she told them and left without waiting for a reply.

"What do you think that was about?" Santana asked Quinn.

"I have no idea, but it seemed important. Are you are okay? You seem…edgy?"

"I am fine."

"San…"

"Look, Q, I know we aren't in Kansas anymore. Things are not all rainbows and smiles here. I am glad that we left Rach and Britt back at the castle. I know that Britt would be able to handle herself out here, but I am glad that she isn't here. This isn't just another one of Sue's strange summer camps, Q. We are literally on horseback in the Enchanted Forest."

"I know that."

"And, we have no idea what beyond those trees," Santana added as she drew the sword she was carrying and started absentmindedly rubbing it down with a clean cloth.

Quinn watched her. There was an uneasiness in Santana's eyes, but it was nothing compared the storm that she saw in Will's eyes. There was something that Will wasn't telling them and Quinn began to wonder if she needed to be worried about it.

Will was back faster than she thought she would be. She met Quinn's eyes. She looked from her hazel to Santana. Then, she turned her eyes towards the sky again. They still couldn't see the sky because of the forest.

"There isn't a moon tonight. It will be full in a few days. We shouldn't have any problems though. The Ulf are part of Swan Kingdoms. They joined because Cora-Danni made them an offer they literally couldn't refuse," Will told them.

"What kinda offer?" Santana asked.

"Freedom," Will said quickly.

Quinn cocked her head. Santana started fidgeting. Quinn turned to face her.

"What's wrong, San? And, don't tell me nothing. What's up?" Quinn asked her.

"I don't know. I don't feel right. I feel like there is something just beyond the trees there. I can't see it, but I know that it is there. I can feel it. I don't know how to describe it."

There was a rustling in the tree line. Santana and Will stood, drawing swords to face the tree line. Quinn stood, notching an arrow. She took two steps ahead of them. Santana took a step to be just behind her. Quinn couldn't feel where Will was, but she knew almost by instinct where Santana was every time she moved. When she took a step, San took a step too. If Quinn went towards the left, San did too.

Quinn took another step towards the tree line. The fire was finally far enough behind her. She could finally start to make out enough of the woods and the vegetation. She saw something, but she couldn't identify it. She could see it moving. She drew back the bow and tried to take aim.

That was when she heard the growl. She drew down further on an unfamiliar mass in the darkness. She aimed for the sound, only to hear an eerily similar one coming from Santana behind her. She turned her eyes, but not her head, towards Santana. Her Latina friend looked pissed. She saw the sword in her hands, but Santana didn't look like she was about to use it anytime soon. She looked like she was about to rip someone in half. Quinn knew that face. She'd seen it a lot in high school. Especially after the idiot Finn outed Santana to the jocks.

"LOBAN, YOU PROMISED THAT WE WOULDN'T BE HUNTED ANYMORE!" a snarly voice called out from the tree line.

Will dropped her sword from an offensive stance. She held it up like she was going to salute the trees and then just abruptly put in the scabbard at her waist. She reached over and then touched Quinn's arm. Quinn finally broke her sight on the figure in front of her. She slowly released the bow string, but she didn't remove the arrow or her hand. She was still prepared to fire, but at least she wasn't aiming.

"Hori, I come in peace," Will shouted back.

"Then why do you have weapons, Loban?"

"In case we are attacked," Will replied.

"You know that such weapons aren't useful against me."

"The swords, no, not really, but those arrows are tipped," Will told him.

A man slowly walked out of the woods. His blond hair was accented by the red flames from the fire behind them. His eyes were golden and fierce. Quinn took a sharp breath, but she still didn't release her grip on the bow or the arrow. She understood Will subtle threat, but she didn't know why Will didn't push the issue further. She could feel Santana getting more agitated beside her, but she didn't dare take her eyes of the blonde man before her.

"So you've brought a Cana and a Siofra with you?"

"Siofra?" Will asked stepping in front of Quinn and Santana.

"The Orla," he stated motioning at Quinn and Santana.

Quinn could see Will's posture change. She wasn't sure what the golden-eyed meant, but she knew that it had something to do with Santana and herself. And, that wasn't something that she wanted to deal with. She didn't know what it mean and she wasn't sure wanted to at the moment. She filed the words away to ask about them later.

"Will?" Quinn asked as she moved to the left of her slightly, bow and arrow still at the ready.

"It's fine, Quinn. He's a member of the Randall. He won't attack unless Ruby or myself orders it. As I like my life and my friends, I doubt that I would tell him to attack us."

"It is still an option, Loban," he muttered.

"Don't, Hori. We've come to get some Rubrum Leaena Faolan. We've been sent by Regina for it. I am sure that you know what that means," Will told him.

"I do, but why did you come, Loban? Where is the Brannonulf, Rowan Cwen de Ulf? Where is she? Why did she not come herself?" he asked her.

She took another step forward. Hori started to come out of the wood line. Will took another step towards him. Her body was still tense and Quinn wasn't sure what to do. Santana stepped around her and that was all it took for Quinn to move. She dropped the bow and reached out for Santana, barely grabbing her by the arm.

The Latina turned to face her. Her dark eyes burned into her hazel, but she didn't let her go. Quinn shook her head and the Latina finally relaxed a little bit. She growled, but took a step back behind Quinn. Once she was back in her spot behind Quinn, Quinn could feel Santana tense back up. There was something in the air that made Quinn look up and tense, too.

"Ruby is with her niece."

"The Dark Loban has returned?"

"She has."

"What's wrong?" he demanded.

"There is nothing wrong. She came home to see her mother's. I don't believe that she is staying. But, she's feverish and we need the Rubrum Leaena Faolan for her."

"Regina's magic is failing her?"

"I didn't say that, Hori. Will you help? Or, are you refusing your Alpha?"

He nodded and backed up. She snarled at him. Santana did as well. Quinn cocked her eyebrow with her best HBIC stare. He hit his knees and growled slightly. Quinn watched as he raised his hand, made a fist and slammed it into his chest.

"You know that I cannot refuse a Brannonulf, Wilhelmina Brannon de Pryoxes."

"Then, will you take us to a crop of it?" Will asked him.

"We will travel in the morning, Princess," he stated before standing.

He moved back to the wood line. He turned just before he would have disappeared into the trees. He looked them over again.

"You might want to get a good night's sleep, Vulcannonian. I'll be back in the morning. Don't worry. I'll have the Randae watch over you. Boykin is just there. He'll make sure that you aren't harmed. Besides, no Randae would want to be responsible for harm to the Brannonulf."

He walked off as soon as he finished his short speech. Leaving them standing there, Will turned quickly and without any further explanation went over to her horse. She grabbed her bedroll and began to spread it out by the fire.

"Um….Excuse me. What the hell was that? And, why do I feel the need to rip him apart?" Santana asked as she moved closer to the fire.

Quinn finally dropped the arrow from the bow and walked over to her horse. She grabbed her bed roll and went back to the fire. She returned the arrow back to the quiver. She dropped the bow on the ground, but far enough from the fire for her to spread her bedroll. She grabbed the bow and the quiver. She set them on the far side of her bedroll. She then undid the belt that was holding her sword and dropped it on the nearside of the bedroll. She didn't need to be told twice to get some sleep. They had ridden hard that morning and she was finally feeling the effects of their adventure. The adrenaline dump that she had just experienced was wearing off.

"Q, seriously, you aren't curious?" Santana demanded when Will didn't answer.

"San, we are so far out of element here. I am just trying to deal with things as they happen. I don't know who he was or what he wanted, but it seems that Will does. He's agreed to help us and I assume that the Randae are some sort of guard. He's ordered them to watch over us tonight. This means while we are sleeping, we are safe. I'm tired. I am sure whatever questions that we have, Will answer them tomorrow. Right, Will?"

"Yes, Quinn. It would be a good idea to get some sleep. I'll answer your questions in the morning. Right now, I am going to sleep. We have another tough day tomorrow."

Santana started to protest, but Quinn shot her a look. She mumbled under her breath as she went to her horse and got her bed roll. She unrolled it and got in it. She didn't remove her sword. She lay there staring at the branches above her and wondered if she could actually sleep. The next thing she knew it was morning.

"We're going to need food for our journey. Quinn, get your bow. Santana, take care of the fire and the horses. Hori should be back soon. If he gets here before we get back, promise me not to kill him," Will told her as she was still waking.

"Excuse me!"

"Stay here. Play nice. Clean up camp. Can you do that?"

"You better be glad your immortal or I would have killed you already," Santana stated as she finally got up fully.

"Is she always this grumpy?"

"When she isn't with Brittany, yes," Quinn answered giving her friend a knowing smirk.

"She's going to ask me all sorts of things when we get back, isn't she?"

"Yes," Quinn said simply.

She had already reattached the belt around her waist that carried the sword. She reached over and grabbed both the quiver and the bow. She looked over at Will to let her know that she was ready. By the time they were about to head into the wood line, a dark gray wolf came out of it.

Will looked at it and then at Santana. She shook her head. She turned around and faced the gray wolf.

"Boykin!" she yelled at the wolf.

The massive gray wolf turned to face her more fully. It cocked its head and then padded over to where she was standing. She put out a hand and it nuzzled it.

"Boykin, change. Don't be rude. The sun is up."

The wolf shook its head, but made no movement. This seemed to make Will angry, but she didn't push it. She leaned down until she was eye to eye with the beast.

"Turn."

The wolf sat on its haunches. Santana began to snarl again. Quinn looked from her to the wolf and back again. There was something that she was missing, but whatever it was Will knew how to deal with it.

"Don't make me do it, Boykin. Turn. Please," she pleaded.

Finally, the large wolf sat up. He howled softly at her. She reached out and he licked her palm.

"Boykin, turn and stay here."

The wolf nodded. He shook his body and Quinn's eyes went wide. The wolf transformed into a young man around the age of twenty. When he stood fully, he had to be at least six foot tall. His hair was dark brown, almost black. His eyes were golden like the man from the night before. In the morning light, Quinn couldn't convince herself that it was the firelight playing tricks on her. The black pants that were hanging low on his hips hugged his lower body like a glove.

"Find a shirt. Play nice. Don't do anything stupid."

"Yes, Loban," Boykin told her as he walked over to a stump and sat.

He just watched Santana as she resumed her chores about the campsite. She shook her head and turned back to the woods. She waved at Quinn to follow her and off they went. Nothing more was said until they were deep in the forest and alone.

"So…"

"Yes?" Will asked.

"Loban?"

"It is a Wolf term for knight."

"So you are knight to them as well?"

"In a manner of speaking."

"Which means?" Quinn asked.

"I am Ruby's second."

"Danni's Aunt Ruby?"

"Yes, she is their Alpha."

"Meaning?"

"She is their queen."

"And they don't know that she's…"

"No, they don't," Will answered quickly.

"Why?"

"Because they would demand to see if Danielle was Cana?"

"Cana?"

"It means wolf pup."

"And, Danielle?"

"She is Belle's child."

"She's not of Ruby's blood?" Quinn asked.

"She is. But, she isn't. It's complicated, but Danielle didn't inherit her Wolf mother's traits."

"She is the daughter of an Alpha, but she isn't a Wolf?" Quinn asked trying to understand.

"Yes."

"Does Belle know?"

"Yes."

"And, that is why they don't know about Ruby?"

"Yes."

"What about Danielle?" Quinn asked.

"She knows that her mother is sick. She visits her every day, but she is with Granny. If any of the wolves found out that she wasn't a Cana, they would challenge Ruby for status."

"And, since Ruby can't fight, they would have to fight you?"

"Exactly."

"And, that's a problem because?" Quinn asked.

"Politics."

"You don't want that power?"

"No, I don't. I've already submitted to Ruby. She is also my Alpha. It is my birth right, but I gave it to her. I have no need of the throne of Ulfland. Just because my mother was a Brannonulf doesn't mean that I want the throne. I have my own to deal with. But, then again, I am a Queen of nothing."

"What?"

"My kingdom exists but I am the last of my kind. There are no more Vulcannonians here. They all died from a magical disease, more like a curse. Somehow I was not affected and I survived. The Wolves know that. They know who I am. They can smell me."

"Well, that's great," Quinn said sarcastically.

"I don't have all the traits that they do, but I do have a few. I don't turn. I have super strength and speed like the Wolves do. I can shift into something more than human, but it isn't a wolf. They would follow me only because no one would be able to defeat me."

"Do they know about Danni being your True Love?"

"They know that I have claimed her as my mate, but it doesn't matter. I would never make a play to be Alpha, so they don't worry about us having pups. They worry about Ruby because Ruby has taken a non-magical being and a non-Wolf as her mate. Normally this would have been a problem for the pack, but Ruby is Brannon."

"You keep saying Brannon like it isn't supposed to mean something to me. What does that mean? What does being Brannon mean to the pack?" Quinn asked as they continued to stalk through the forest as quietly as they could.

"To be Brannon is to be a pure blood. Ruby's mother was a Brannon. She had her own pack. Her grandfather was Brannon, but he left the pack. Anita, Ruby's mother, went back to them when she was old enough to turn and understand what it meant. When she had Ruby, however, she knew what it would mean for her to live with her. Wolves were being hunted and killed for their pelts. They were being hunted because people were afraid. She gave Ruby back to Granny to raise. When Regina realized that the girl that Granny was raising was also her father's daughter, she gave Granny the red cloak to protect her."

"Why is the cloak important?"

"It keeps Ruby from turning."

"Red Riding Hood?" Quinn asked.

"Yes."

"Wow. They really got that story wrong. What else is wrong about it?"

"Peter and the Wolf, do you know that one."

"Yeah," Quinn replied.

"Yeah, well, Ruby ate him."

"She's that wolf?"

"Yeah, and the kicker of that is that Peter was her boyfriend at the time."

"She ate her boyfriend?"

"She didn't know what she was doing. She didn't know that she was a Wolf. She'd turned and well, ate him. She went on the run then. That is how she ended up betraying her sister."

"Huh?"

"She joined Snow's army."

"Ah," Quinn stated as she scanned the woods before them. "There. A stag not too far off."

"Do you have a good shot?" Will asked quietly.

Quinn moved slowly and methodically to a tree. She reached behind her back and drew an arrow. She notched it. Leaning into the tree for support, she drew down on the stag that she could see. She pulled the bow string back until it was to her lips. She took in a deep breath and zeroed her eyes in on the stag's flank. She slowly released the breath and let the arrow fly. Before the arrow had gone too far, she drew another one and held her bow at the ready.

The stag grunted in pain as it fell. Quinn was off like a bullet. She was tearing across the forest floor like she had been designed to do it. Will wasn't far behind her, sword drawn, and a strange smile gracing her lips.

When they came upon the beast, Quinn loosed another arrow into it ending its suffering. Will watched as she moved around the beast, sizing it up. When Quinn looked up at her with the question on her lips, Will just smiled. She sheathed her swords and drew a knife. She cut open the stag and removed most of its innards. Once she was done, she wiped the blade on the stag and then sheathed it. Then like the stag weighed nothing, she reached down and picked up, placing it on her shoulders.

Quinn just cocked an eyebrow at the feat of strength. She knew that Will had to be drawing on her Wolf blood in order to carry the stag. She turned away and started back towards camp.

She knew that there would be a time for questions, but right now wasn't really it. They were on a mission to save Danni and that is what she needed to be focused on. She led the way back to camp without thinking about it and she didn't realize that she'd done it until they came back into the small clearing where camp had been.

Santana looked at her and then Will. She saw the stag. She saw the look on Quinn's face. And, then she said, "Hells to the no, if you think that I am butchering that."

Quinn laughed. Santana just looked at her like she'd lost her mind. She still didn't understand why Quinn was just going with everything. She wanted to go back to the castle and check on Brittany. She didn't know why, but she wasn't comfortable in those woods. It was like there was something in her blood that was telling her to run, but to what she didn't know.

"Don't worry about that, Santana. I'll clean it. I should be ready in a few minutes."

Santana just nodded and went back to the horses. Quinn joined her. She could see the worry on Santana's face. She wondered what was wrong with the Latina. She usually wasn't this edgy in strange situations.

"San?"

"I don't know, Quinn. I just don't know. I mean, come on. We're in the woods. This isn't one of Sue's sadistic summer camp outs. This is the mother fucking Enchanted Forest. There are werewolves among us and you are acting like this is nothing. I don't get it. I don't understand why you aren't freaking the fuck out. Because this…this is not normal," Santana told her.

"Because...I don't know why I am not freaking out, San. I know that should freak me out but it isn't. I just killed a stag at a distance that I shouldn't have been able to see it, but I did. I don't know what it going on any more than you do. All, I know is that we promised Danni that we would help her and we are. She's back at that castle, sick and feverish. We're out here trying to find something that will help her. With as much as she has done for us back in New York, I think that a little uncomfortable trip in the woods is something that I can deal with."

Santana turned, but nodded at Quinn's words. She knew that they made sense. It was that she just couldn't shake this feeling of dread or worry or need. She couldn't pinpoint this building anguish inside herself and that worried her. She wondered if somehow the magic of this world was drawn to her and she was going to get sick like Danni had.

"Cana!" Boykin yelled at them.

Quinn and Santana turned to him. They watched as Will neared him, bloody knife in hand. They couldn't tell if it was a threat or warning that Will gave him, but the wolf seemed to back down from whatever confrontation he wanted to start.

It was then that Hori returned. He looked from where Boykin and Will were to where Santana and Quinn were standing. He walked over to Will.

"Cana doesn't know?" he asked.

"She isn't from here."

"Earth?"

"Yes, and if she is Cana, she hasn't turned. When she does, she is going to lose her shit and I personally don't want to be there when she does. When is the next moon?" Will asked him.

"Two to three days," he answered.

"How long until we get to the crop of the flowers?"

"Three days."

"Fuck."

"What do want us to do, Loban?"

"Keep the pack back. And, as the Randall, keep the Randae in check. Don't let any of them think that they can challenge her. I'll take it as a personal attack and I'd rather not turn on the pack. Make sure that they get the word."

"What are you going to do the night she turns?" Hori asked her.

"Hope to all that is holy that she doesn't filet me open for trying to help find her way back in the morning."

"And the elf girl?"

"One thing at a time. I'll have to talk to Regina when we get back. This is going to change things, drastically, but that is kingdom matter for her to deal with. Is there anything that you will need for the time being?"

"No, we are ready. A quarter of the Randae at your service. Do you wish to send word to Regina?"

"Yes, send Boykin."

"Write your missive and I will," Hori told her as he went back to the wood line where Boykin was now sitting and waited for Will to write the note.

Will turned back to face the other women. She knew that Regina would understand what she wrote if she sent in Vulcannonian. She couldn't risk the note being read otherwise. Quinn and Santana didn't ask for this. They didn't understand. They didn't know that the inherent magic of this realm was affecting them so much. She sighed. Three days. She had three days to figure out how to tell them that their lives were really full of lies and that they were more than they could ever imagine back home. She began to wonder if that was the reason that Danni was drawn to them in the first place. Could she since something about them? Did she know what they were when they didn't even know themselves? Time was the only way that they would find the answers and it was also the enemy at the same time. She had three days until the full moon. She prayed that would find a way to deal with this long enough to the get what they needed and then get back to the castle for Danni. She had a mission and she wasn't about to fail because of two foreign women that didn't know the true power of their own blood. She couldn't fail. She wouldn't fail. They would just have to deal until they got back to the castle. It was the only way.


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

Emma and Regina were in the room with Ruby. They weren't sure if what Regina wanted to try with Brittney would even work. Emma was skeptical. She understood Belle's reluctance, but she also wanted to help her friend.

Blue and Tink had been in earlier. They were comfortable in the fact that nothing had changed in Ruby's condition. They were magically sustaining her. It was an unspoken thing that they started doing once they saw how Ruby was wasting away. Emma had been glad to know that they were helping her in that manner. She knew that Blue was looking out for her more than Tink was, but that was only because Tink was doing what she could for Danni.

"Emma?"

"Yeah," she replied.

"Belle went to go get her, right?"

"Yes, Regina, she did."

"Do you think that she knows what she is?"

"No, I don't. I doubt that even Danni knows if she is. Hell, I didn't know who I was."

"Yeah, well, that was my fault."

"But, I have magic, Regina. I should have been able to use it or something. Fact of the matter is that her talents may not have manifested themselves until she was in Storybrooke. Like me, maybe they need magic for it to work," Emma explained.

"Maybe."

"Could you use your magic outside of Storybrooke?"

"No."

"See," Emma stated.

Regina just nodded. She was losing hope, but she was glad that Emma was with her. Emma wouldn't lose hope. She was a blasted Charming and they didn't give up. If one way didn't work, they would just try something else. They were notorious for winning and Regina could only _hope_ that their ability to find each other, survive, and get the happy ending had been extended to her since the wedding.

"Stop thinking so hard, you're making my brain hurt," Emma told her with a smile.

Regina just nodded. She took Emma's hand and squeezed it. She was glad for the comfort and the support that Emma had been giving her. Emma hadn't really left her side in weeks. She knew that Emma must be feeling trapped in the castle and she wanted to do something for her, but she wasn't sure what. She made a mental note to talk to Snow about it later.

Belle knocked on the door. Regina wasn't sure why, but Emma answered it and let her in. Brittney was with her and she had a curious look on her face. She smiled at Emma and Regina as she entered the room. She walked over to the bed that Ruby was lying.

"Good evening," she told them as she turned to curtsey.

"You don't have to do that here, Brittney," Emma stated taking her hand and helping to stand.

"But…"

"We aren't that formal," Emma said.

Brittney just nodded. She looked up at Regina, who just waved at her to sit or walk around, whatever she wished to do. She nodded again and paced around the bed, her eyes never leaving Ruby's face. She looked up at Belle and smiled.

"What?" Belle asked.

"She loves you very much," Brittney told her.

"I love her as well."

"She knows that. She's sorry that you are hurting right now, but she is trying so hard to come back to you. She's safe and healthy. The fairies have seen to that and she'd grateful."

"You can speak with her?" Belle asked.

Brittney nodded. Regina squeezed Emma's hand as hard as she could. She'd been right. Emma smiled and nodded at her wife. She could see the relief in Regina's eyes.

"You don't believe me. It's alright. Not everyone understands me," Brittney stated. "Actually Santana, Rachel, Quinn and Danni are the only ones. They are very protective of me, too because of it. People used to call me stupid because I don't think like them. I'm different."

"Can you tell me something that only she would know? I just have to... I am sorry."

"Don't apologize, Belle. I understand. You need to know. Can I touch her?" Brittney asked.

Belle and Regina shared a look and then both nodded at her. She walked around to the opposite side of Regina. She reached out and took Ruby's hand. She noted that it was a little cold.

"She's a little cold," Brittney said before closing her eyes.

Regina waved her hand at the fire and it roared larger. Emma made a note to have more wood sent up. She would have more blankets brought, too. If Ruby was cold, they would fix it.

"You kissed her first just after the ogre attacked."

Belle blushed. She knew that Red had never told anyone about that. She knew that somehow this woman before her was communicating with her wife. She smiled as she regained her composure. She knew that Emma would let the information go, but somehow, Regina would use it against Ruby, but only in jest.

Regina smirked at her. She knew that Brittney had just proven herself to them. Belle didn't need to confirm it out loud. Her face was telling enough.

"Can I get a chair?" Brittney asked.

"Sure," Regina said as a chair appeared beside her.

"Thank you," Brittney replied as she sat down. She held onto Ruby's hand and looked down her body again. A smile crept across her face. She looked up to see Regina staring at her expectantly. She nodded at Regina and turned to face her a little more properly.

"What is it that you would like to know, my Queen?" Brittney asked.

"I'm your Queen?"

"Well, this is your kingdom and I am here. So, doesn't that make you my queen? Or, wait? What about Danni? You're her mother and she's my friend, so… Yes?"

"Don't worry about the formalities, dear. I need to talk to my sister. Can you do that for me?"

"Yes, ma'am," Brittney answered quickly.

"Good, please ask her if she knows why she is like this," Regina commanded.

Brittney turned and faced Ruby again. She didn't seem to do anything special. Finally, she nodded and the looked up at Regina. Her smile faded a little, just enough for Emma to notice, but she quickly beamed at them. She nodded again and moved her lips like she whispering to Ruby. Emma watched as her eyes lit up and then she would mouth more words. When she caught Brittney's eyes, her smile grew more.

"There were some complications with a spell that she did."

"She did what?" both Regina and Belle exclaimed in question.

"Regina…" Emma started.

"I don't know the spell and she won't tell me. She is saying that it worked, and a little more than she planned. She doesn't want you to worry about it. She is well. Except for the not being able to eat part, but you are sustaining her, so she's fine," Brittney told them.

"What spell?"

"She won't tell me, my Queen."

"She's refusing me?" Regina asked.

"Yes, and Belle as well."

"But, why?" Belle asked.

"Because it wasn't planned. She won't say more than that. And, that's she sorry for this happening. But, the magic that is keeping her away is caring for her as well."

"Caring for her? She would be starving to death if it wasn't for me. What the Hell am I supposed to do with that? What does she expect to do? She needs to wake up," Regina said.

"She can't until the canae are ready."

"Can A?" Emma questioned.

"What did you say?" Belle asked.

"Can she tell us what the Can A are?" Regina inquired.

Brittney just smiled. Her eyes met Belle's. Belle nodded when she saw the mirth in Brittney's bright blue eyes. She knew that Brittney understood what the word meant and that she did as well. She realized that Belle had given her permission to tell them.

"Canae are some ones, not somethings," Brittney stated.

"Then who or what is she protecting?" Regina asked.

Brittney let go of Ruby's hand and stood up. She crossed the room to where Belle was standing. She took Belle's hand and held it. Their blue eyes met. There was no war between them, but Regina was really surprised to see Belle smile as large as she did. The gasp that escaped her lips didn't go unnoticed by either Regina or Emma. Belle gave her a questioning look and then Brittney nodded, smiling. She leaned forward and whispered something.

"Umm, not to sound rude, but what's going on?" Emma questioned.

Belle let Brittney's hand go. She knew that the blonde was then waiting on her to tell them. It was her news to tell. Brittney stepped back as Belle stepped forward. She reached out for Regina's hand, who offered it up slowly and with some hesitation. Being touched by witches in the last few years caused Regina painful memories, she wasn't sure what Belle wanted but she was willing to take the risk for her family.

"Congratulations are in order," Belle stated.

Regina looked at her quizzically. She wasn't sure what Belle was trying to tell her. Congratulations, congratulations for what? Belle and Red were already married and had Danielle for a daughter. Regina and Emma had gotten married (again) in an elaborate state affair and Remy was nearly six years old. What was Belle congratulating her for?

"Not for you, Regina. For us. Ruby is pregnant," Belle told her.

"Pregnant?"

"Yes, with Wolves," Belle stated.

"Wolf pups? My Wolf Pup of a sister is about to have her own pups? When?" Regina asked.

"Pups, as in more than one?" Emma questioned.

Belle just nodded. She didn't know what to say. Her lover was pregnant and they were her pups. She wondered if they would be tall like Ruby for a moment, before Regina just grabbed her and held her. Regina knew what it meant for Red to get pregnant. She was the Alpha and as such should have pups, but Danielle was Belle's. She wasn't a Wolf. She was pure human. They were going to raise as a pup and let her make the choice when she was older, but Belle hadn't changed. She was still human. It was a delicate situation with the Ulf and Regina knew it. Danielle was technically the heir to the Ulf as the daughter of the Alpha, but with her not being a Wolf, they'd kept her a secret from them. Afraid that a rogue Ulf would try to take her or worse change her before she was ready and understood what it meant.

"I am going to be a Momma again," Belle replied with tears in her eyes.

"She's having twins?" Regina asked, looking from Belle to Brittney.

"Yes, a boy and a girl," Brittney answered.

"How long?" Regina asked.

"Until they are born?" Belle questioned in reply.

Regina nodded. Belle let go of her hand and turned to Red. She took Red's hand up again. She leaned over and kissed her lips.

"Normally for Wolves, gestation is between two to three months, but Red isn't normal and neither are our children. Werewolves gestation can last anywhere from three to nine months. I can only guess at how far along Red actually is," Belle told them, stroking her lover's face.

"Three months, almost to the day," Brittney informed them.

Regina looked up at the blonde with a cocked eyebrow. She looked to Red and then gestured at her for Regina to understand that Red knew and told her. Brittney stepped forward, towards Regina this time. She didn't reach out for her. She didn't need to. She could feel the anguish and the happiness flowing off her in waves. Regina raised her hand to stop the blonde empath, but it didn't work. She just kept coming. And, then she did something that Regina was not and never would be prepared for her. Brittney hugged her and then whispered in her ear.

"You're going to be the best Auntie to them," she told Regina quietly before letting her go.

Regina stood there dumbfounded. Emma only hugged her in private. Henry and Remy hugged her but only like a child and sometimes only when prompted. But, Brittney hugged her like a friend and she actually liked it. She wondered if the empath gave her the feelings or if they were genuine. Either way, she didn't really care at the moment. Ruby was pregnant, Danni was ill, and her entire family was all in one place. She had bigger things to worry about than Brittney.

"When will she wake?" Regina asked quietly.

"Soon. Her body wasn't prepared for the trials of her pregnancy because of the spell. She wasn't ready to conceive and the spell forced her. Her body became weak and she slipped into this state. She tried to find a way to contact you and let you know what was wrong, but she doesn't have the inherent powers that you do, my Queen."

"That doesn't answer the question," Regina stated giving her a hard look.

"That's because I don't know. I am not a doctor and I certainly don't know anything about Werewolf pregnancies. Being who she is, Red doesn't know much either. She had been learning as much as she could from the females in her Randae. Another Wolf could tell you more, but she doesn't want any to come. She fears what they may do to Belle or worse Danielle. She specifically has told me not to allow a Wolf named Hori to come."

"Her Beta?" Emma asked.

"No, Will is her Beta. He is a member of the core Alphas, but she is afraid that he'll make a play for Alpha. He's been talking since the return of the Lobans."

"Will and Danni are her Lobans," Belle stated like it explained anything.

"What's that mean?" Emma asked.

"It means that Will, being a were by birth and her Beta, is a knight of the Ulf Queen. She is the Alpha's personal knight, or an Alpha knight of the kingdom. The Ulf aren't just one pack. They are many. Will and Red are both descendants of the Brannonulf and are Pack royalty. They are the High Alpha's if you will. The fact that Will is Red's Beta and not an Alpha in her own right has some of the other pack alpha's wondering if Wilhelmina will take a Wolf mate," Belle said.

"And, if she does, then they could make a play for the throne," Regina surmised.

"Yes, and with Red being mated to me and having a human child, it puts Red more a risk for an upheaval. She understands that they don't all like her because she doesn't prefer her feral form, but she has never done anything to them to cause worry or to lead them wrong. She has made the packs stronger. And, with the support of Regina, has gotten wolf hunting illegal and punishable, not only by the Ulf if found on Ulf land's, but also by the three Queens of the Enchanted Forest. He wants to raise himself in stature, and because Red should have a second Beta, he wants the position if not more power," Belle explained.

"But, what about Will and Danni being her Lobans?" Emma asked

"They are knights for the Queen, yes, and as Loban get more rights than the Randae. Hori is the head of the Randae and has been for years. Before Red took the Alpha position, the packs were at war silently. Each vying for lands and territory. Now with Red in charge, there is more order and a lot less bloodshed. She developed the Randae to be a force for the Ulf, a united military group for the basis of protecting Ulf lands and interests, but also to be used if you ever asked."

"She created a Wolf military for my disposal?" Regina asked.

"She figured it couldn't hurt. Most of the Randae are children of the Alphas and understand the alliance with the kingdoms of the Enchanted Forest. They support it. Some, like Hori, are using it to build up their power base. An Alpha that is a Randae gets more sway at council meetings, but ultimately Red's word is law and they all bow to it," Belle replied.

"So, if she were to tell the Ulf that I was their Queen?"

"They would swear to you, but some would rebel, not wanting to be tied to the human world. This is why Red being their Alpha is crucial. She gives them both worlds without any obligation. They can interact in the human world and live as a human as long as they follow the laws or they can stay on Ulf's lands and be a Wolf. No one will care. It is their right to decide. No Wolf may force another to live as they don't wish to," Belle stated.

"Meaning that parents can't force their children to stay feral when they become of age?" Emma asked looking at the shorter auburn-haired brunette.

"Yes," Belle answered simply.

Regina sat down. Her little sister, the werewolf that she could never acknowledge, had always been thinking of her. She shook her head. Red had not only taken the alliance pact that Will and Danni (Coraline) had brought to her with the defeat of George three plus years ago, she had continued to outline the Ulf to be supportive of the Queens of the thrones of the Enchanted Forest. Red spoke for them at Regina's Royal Council. She was still protecting Regina, like she had unknowingly back during the wars with Snow.

"She's always protecting me," Regina stated softly.

Emma and Belle turned to look at her. Brittney moved closer to them again. She reached out and touched Red's hand. She turned and looked at Regina. She gave her a strange look before a smile formed on her lips and she reached out for Regina's hand.

"She wants to talk to you," Brittney told her.

"But, how?" Regina asked as the other two women looked on inquisitively.

"I might not have the magic that you do, my Queen, but I have found that my powers are more defined here. I can feel things deeper. I can make others feel what I want them to feel. I've been keeping you all calmer than you should be because of the pain and suffering you've been dealing with. Danni and Red would not want this for you. I am just doing my part."

"But, how can I talk to her without you?"

"I am not leaving, my Queen. Take my hand. I want to try something," Brittney told her.

"Regina…" Emma said as she reached out for her again.

"I am a conduit, correct?"

"In some manners of speaking, yes," Regina replied.

"Then use me with your magic and talk to your sister," Brittney demanded.

Regina reached out and took her hand. She felt the blonde's power flow through her. She then understood what Brittney wanted to do. She closed her eyes and focused on the power that Brittney possessed. She let it flow through her and then she thought of Red.

 _"Open your eyes, Regina," Red told her._

 _When Regina did, she was standing with her in a room she hadn't seen in years. She looked around the room and couldn't believe that Red's mind would take her back to this place. She looked into the blue-hazel of her sister's eyes and smiled. She was breathtaking pregnant. Regina then chided herself for not noticing the slight swell of her younger sister's belly._

 _"It's alright, Regina. No one knew. I didn't until a few days ago."_

 _"But, how?"_

 _"Coraline's True Love spell," Red answered._

 _"Why didn't you tell me? I would have given you leave to go back to Ulfland. I would have given you whatever you needed. I would have…"_

 _"Regina, it's fine. I'm pregnant. I can hear my children. They talk to me, but I wasn't ready. I hadn't prepared my body for this. I needed to run. I needed to be feral and in heat. I wasn't and so I forced the pregnancy upon myself. I didn't know that I would take so quickly. I thought I would have more time, like we had with Belle," Red explained._

 _"You know that magic is that predictable, neither is conceiving," Regina replied._

 _"I know that, now."_

 _"How much longer do you have? Can you tell me? Do you know?"_

 _"At their current growth rates, I would say two weeks or more. I will start showing more soon. I will need more sustenance. Somehow I will need meat, bloody, and lots of it just before the birth. I should wake before then. Your magic has been healing my body and preparing it for the rapid changes. I hope that I wake before their births, but if I don't…"_

 _"We'll have everything that you need ready," Regina reassured her._

 _"And, Belle?"_

 _"She'll stay with us until you are all ready to move."_

 _"Is she taking care of herself?"_

 _"She is," Regina told her._

 _"And, Danni? Brittney told me that is what Coraline is going by now. Is she taking care of herself? Is she still afraid?"_

 _"Yes, she is still afraid. She is sick and Will has gone on a mission to collect some special tea for her. I hope it works. I can't lose her again, Red. I just can't. I can't lose you either."_

 _"I am not going anywhere. I'll be back before you know it. I just need to recover."_

 _Regina started crying. And, vaguely, she wondered if she was crying in the other room where Red was still lying on that bed, unconscious. She turned her dark eyes back up to those of her blue-eyed sister._

 _"Is there anything that I can do for you?" Regina asked._

 _"Make sure that Danni is well. Maybe get Belle to get Danielle. She might be able to help. She has Belle's quiet nature but my boisterous attitude. Maybe she just needs the love a child to show her that we aren't afraid. You were never afraid of me, Regina. Don't be afraid of her."_

 _"I am not."_

 _"Then tell her that."_

 _"How?"_

 _"You're the one with the Empath. Figure it out. I am sure that you can. Now, you need to go."_

 _"But, I need to ask you more. You can't send me away like this. Red…Ruby, you can't just send me away. What am I supposed to do? How am I supposed to help her, too?"_

 _"Regina, she's your daughter. She is part of you. You can reach her when no one else can. You carried her. Find a way to get through her fever and find her. The Blackness doesn't control her whole heart. I can smell her from here. Go to your daughter. Be with her. Help her. Prepare for me, but stop mourning me. I will wake and I will live. Everything will be okay. You'll see," Ruby told her._

 _"How do you know that?"_

 _"Because you're married to Emma and she isn't going to let either of you fail. She is Charming and just like Snow, she isn't going to give up. She doesn't know how. It's in her blood. And for better or worse, you are a Charming now too," Red stated._

 _"I know, don't remind me."_

 _"It could be worse," Red said._

 _"How? How could it be worse? I married my archenemy's daughter. I am part of the family."_

 _"You were already part of her family. Snow was your step-daughter, remember? Does she still call you Mommy when she's scared, hmm? I bet she has," Red teased._

 _"She hasn't since she remembered that Danni gave Neal her heart to save him and us by extension. She wanted my forgiveness for losing Danni to the portal and the well. I should have been furious, but I couldn't be. It was Danni's choice and I had to respect that. She was giving herself a better life. And, Remy doesn't know anything about the evils that Danni saved her from. I am grateful for that, but I am still raw about it."_

 _"A child shouldn't have had to do that, right?"_

 _"Right," Regina replied._

 _"Then, go to her and let her know that her sacrifice wasn't in vain. Let her know that you still love her and that will do anything for her. Make her understand that you weren't scared of her because of the darkness in her soul because of the Dark Curse that she took, but because she is too much like you without love. She needs love and lots of it. You know that. Give it to her."_

Regina felt the connection end. She blinked a few times and felt the tears flowing down her face. She knew what she had to do and she needed to move. She could only hope that Will was succeeding on her end. She looked down to see Brittney still holding her hand.

"Do you want to see if I can find Danni through her fever?" Brittney asked.

"Yes…" Regina whispered, staring at her sister's healing body, as fresh tears started flowing.


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

They had been traveling by horse for two days. Will kept watching Santana, as did Hori. Quinn didn't understand why, but it didn't make her feel any better about the situation. She'd been holding her tongue, but she couldn't anymore. The more she watched Will watching Santana, the more it was eating at her. Will was getting antsy, but she was showing it to Santana, Hori, or the other Randae.

Boykin had returned with a letter written by Belle and not Regina. Will could tell by the script. Quinn wasn't sure if this is what set her off or whatever Hori had told her days before, but either way something wasn't sitting right with her. The letter was written in Vulcannonian, so Will was the only one who could read it.

Finally, Quinn had enough of the looks and the secretiveness. She couldn't take it. She needed to know what was going on and how she could help. That was why she was here, to help. She walked through that mirror to help Danni and now, she was on some adventure trying to do that. She knew that she might not understand everything about this world, but she could tell that whatever was bothering Will was affecting her. When she took another glance back at Santana, Quinn made her decision.

"I'll be back in a minute," she told Santana, as she slightly heeled her horse urging it forward.

She trotted up beside Will and waited for Will to acknowledge her presence. When Will didn't immediately say something to her, she turned to face the knight. Will finally turned to face her.

"What?"

"What's going on?" Quinn asked.

"You already know," Will answered.

"Not really. I know that we are looking for some plant for Danni, but that isn't what has you on edge. Nope, don't try to deny it. I can see it in your face. It's subtle, but it's there."

Will smiled at her. Silently, she'd been wondering how long it was going to take Quinn to come to her. She knew that they weren't prepared for the news that would change their lives forever. She knew they needed to know before something happened to them there, but she just didn't know how to go about telling them the truth. Even in the missive to Regina, she'd glossed over the truth.

"You've been antsy since Hori showed up. Want to explain that? Cause, I know that has something to do with it. You've been on edge since that night. So spill."

"How much do you know about Santana's lineage?" Will asked her.

Quinn looked at her skeptically. What did that have to do with anything? She looked back at San and then in the questioning blue eyes of Will. She saw something akin to wonder and something more...trust possible, a want for Quinn to trust her with the knowledge that she was trying to receive.

"Enough, why?" Quinn inquired.

"What's her mother's name?" Will probed, not offering any further explanation.

"Maribel," Quinn stated.

"Her full name?" Will asked.

"Maribel Sanchez Gonzales Lopez, why?"

"Her grandmother, her mother's mother?" Will pushed.

"Lupe Maria Villalobos Gonzales," Quinn stated.

Will laughed. It was light but genuine. It made Quinn stare harder at her.

"What?"

"She is from a line of them and she doesn't even know. I'd laugh harder, but… Has she always been aggressive? Genuinely healthy and always warm to the touch? Always wants to be in an Alpha position, but will submit to the right person depending on how she's treated?" Will questioned.

"Yeah, for the most part. We fought a lot in high school always via for the top position, but after she made things official with Brittney, she calmed down a lot. She was always at odds with her father, though and his mother, Alma. She didn't take to kindly to Santana being a lesbian."

"Then, she might have a problem with all of us."

"She finally relented and came to their wedding. I think that Maribel dragged her though. It made San really happy. She loved her grandmother a lot and for her to turn her out like that. It almost broke her. She never met her mother's parents. They died in a car crash in Mexico when she was little."

Will just nodded at the information. She was trying to process it so she could explain to Quinn what was going to happen to her best friend. How do you tell someone that she's Werewolf and expect her to take it okay? How do you tell her best friend the same thing? While they are out in the woods, on an adventure, when the full moon starts tomorrow night? Will had no idea, so she decided to go with the most direct route. She'd be blunt and honest.

"I don't know how else to tell you this, but Santana is a were."

"Aware of what?"

"Not aware, a were. She's a shape shifter and she doesn't know. When the moon hits the sky, full and round, tomorrow night, we are all going to see her in her full glory," Will told her.

"Like what? She's a werewolf or something? Is that what you are trying to tell me?"

"Yes, and she is from a long line of them it seems. I wouldn't be surprised to find out that her grands on her mother's side knew and were both Wolves. She is like Ruby. She's human, but the magic here is effecting her. I know that you can see that. She is probably from an Alpha line as well, which is why she wants to fight with Hori so much. I know you've seen that," Will stated.

"Yeah, I have, but I thought that was just her personality. She doesn't take orders well from people she doesn't know or trust. And, he is just one on a very long list of people that she doesn't trust. Are you going to tell her?" Quinn asked like it was nothing new for her to deal with it.

"You aren't going to tell me I'm crazy?" Will asked.

"If I wasn't here with you, I might. If we were back home, definitely, but we aren't. I've seen more stuff in the last few weeks to make me question my sanity, but I can't denounce the facts that you know. You've been around this more than I have and have lived in both worlds. You know who and what are magical and I don't. I have to follow your lead on this. If you say that she is a Wolf, then she is a Wolf. I can't deny your knowledge on the subject. I know that you are part Wolf as well, but do you change?"

"No, I don't phase. I can choose to do so at will. So can Ruby. After sometime and training, Santana will be able to as well. I guess I am just surprised by how easily you are taking this. I'm shocked about it actually. I expected you to yell at me or something," Will told her.

"I mean I can yell at you if you want, but I don't think that will help anything now, will it?"

"No, it won't."

"Then what's the point in wasting the energy to do it?" Quinn asked.

"None, I guess."

"Exactly," Quinn replied.

They rode in silence for a few more minutes before Quinn turned to look at her again. Will seemed to be a little more at peace. She guessed it was because she finally told someone about Santana, but she wasn't sure. She knew that she would need to know more before tomorrow night or things would get ugly really quickly. And, an extremely angry Santana werewolf was not something she wanted.

"So, what are we going to do?" Quinn asked her.

"I have some ideas, but I don't think that you're going to like any of them."

"Meaning?"

"I could drug her," Will offered.

"Nope, out of the question. I am sure that she would have a hang over from Hell and you would have to deal with that, and it still wouldn't solve the problem. We would still have to deal with her next month. Next option?"

"We tell her."

"Okay, and then what?"

"We figure out a way to ease the transition. She's going to fight it because it is her first time and the Randae aren't going to want to wait for her. She's old enough to know better to them, but honestly, she'll is more like an adolescent Wolf in mentality. This will be her first change and I think that only Hori knows. He isn't going to explain to his Randae either. He doesn't care about her that much."

"Why not?"

"Because she isn't from the Enchanted Forest packs. He doesn't see her as a threat. He is only worried about Red and her offspring. She is the Alpha of Alpha's because she is one of the last descendents of the Brannonulf. She is Wolf royalty."

"But, Belle...how does that work?" Quinn asked, actually intrigued.

"Magic."

"Of course," she quipped.

"No seriously. Somehow with True Love magic Coraline or Remy, depending on the time line, was born from two mothers. She was carried by Regina, but she is biologically Emma's too. They cannot deny that. Before Coraline became Danni, she found a way to harness the power of True Love so that they could have more children. She gave the potion to Belle and Red for them as well. She kept some for herself. I think that she hoped that she would defeat the darkness of the Dark One and we could live in peace. Unfortunately, we still haven't had that opportunity," Will explained.

"Don't give up on her," Quinn ordered.

"I am not. Trust me on that. I am going to fight for her this time. I am not going to let her get away."

"Good."

"Careful, Quinn, your loyalty is showing," Will picked.

"Someone's has to around here," Quinn quipped back.

"I like you, kid."

"I am sure you do, but I'm taken."

"Oh, I know. So am I, if she'll have me again. But...things are going to be rough for the next three days or so. Are you sure that you can help me handle her?" Will questioned.

"We're deep in the woods and now you ask me that?"

"Well, you know, knowledge and that sort...just kinda came up."

"So how are we going to do this? Are you just going to tell her? Or, you planning on waiting for her to change to explain everything to her? Because I don't want to be there if that is the route you plan on taking," Quinn informed her.

"Well, there is more to it that just Santana."

"Such as?" Quinn asked giving her a skeptical look.

"Brittney."

"What about Brittney?"

"She's an empath."

"Okay, what the Hell does that mean? And is it going to hurt San? Because if it is, keep that to yourself. Brittney is one of the few things that keeps Santana sane. You can't take that from her and tell her that she's a werewolf," Quinn told her.

"No, it won't harm Santana. If anything, Brittney is the reason that Santana can be so calm sometimes. She has abilities over emotions and she can read people extremely well. She knows how to make each of calm in an otherwise extremely stressful situation. It seems to be an unnatural calm at that. I am sure that you've seen it with her. Haven't you?" Will asked.

"She's been like that all her life. She has been the one person that can make Santana calm down with a look or a touch. It used to unnerve me, but Rachel does the same to me. I just assumed it was because they loved each other so much," Quinn stated.

"That helps, but Brittney is special, too. She can control the emotions of anyone around her when she needs to, but she doesn't do it that often. Well at least since I've seen her, she hasn't done it. She seems to know that she can do it. But that isn't the most amazing thing that she can do," Will said.

"Like what?"

"She's been talking with Red."

"But I thought Red was in a coma," Quinn replied.

"She is."

"Then how does that work?"

"You'd have to ask Belle, Regina and Brittney for that one, kiddo. I am just a knight, remember? I let Regina deal with the magic stuff. But, I do the heavy lifting. Emma does both."

"Okay, so what has Red been saying?"

"I sent word that Santana was what we call 'cana.' That means she's a wolf cub. Red is sending order through ravens because she still hasn't woken up. She wants to talk to Santana as soon as she wakes. She also wants to run with her."

"Like a mentor?"

"Something of the sort, yes," Will replied.

"But there is more isn't there. You seem wary of more than just Santana. What is it?"

"Hori has been acting weird since Boykin got back. I am not worried about Boykin. I know that he is loyal to Red. It is Hori that I am worried about. He isn't known for his full support for Red as the Brannonulf. I am not sure that he is actually taking us to what we need, but he is the only one that can get us to that valley. I know approximately what we are looking for, but I've never actually seen it," Will told her.

"Wait…we're out here looking for something that you've never seen?"

"Yes."

"And, this isn't something that you felt you should have shared with us before?"

"No."

"Well, okay…why don't we go off on our own? They are going to phase tomorrow, right? We need to get Santana away from them and explain to her what is going to happen and find a way to help her. We can't be out in the open with them and her being new. They'll maul her."

"They might try, but I'm not going to let them succeed," Will stated.

"You have an idea?"

"I do," Will replied.

She pulled out a parchment from her saddle bag. She pulled up her horse and rode a little off the trail. She pointed for Quinn to continue on with the path. Santana caught up to her. Quinn waited for a moment and then continued up the trail. She knew that Will would catch up.

"What's going on?"

"We're going to go our way soon."

"Why?" Santana asked her.

"Something has come up at the castle."

"They aren't as friendly as they are leading up to believe, are they?" Santana questioned.

"No, not all of them."

"Something about Red, right?"

"Yup."

"What are we going to do?" Santana inquired.

"We are going to wait for Will to tell us what to do."

"Where did she go?"

"I don't know. I think to send a message back to Regina. She doesn't have magic and neither do we. We'll have to sit tight and just wait it out. I'm sure she'll catch us up soon," Quinn told her.

Santana knew that there was something more, but she wasn't going to push it now. She could tell that Quinn was worried and it wasn't about Will. She looked around them and noted where each and every one of the Wolves were. She wasn't happy, like the horses weren't, about riding with the Wolves to find this plant for Danni, but she was willing to rough it for Danni.

"We need this for Danni, right?"

"Yeah," Quinn stated.

"Do we need them?"

"I don't know."

Santana nodded. She still had this crazy itch under her skin and as night neared it was getting worse. She could tell that Quinn was watching her more and she didn't know why. She just hoped that it didn't have to do with the itchy feeling she was getting. She tried to shake it off, but she couldn't. She didn't doubt that Will told Quinn something that was weighing on her mind heavily, but she hoped that it didn't have anything to do with growing condition.

She looked up into the wood line in front of them. She turned her head slightly to the right, like she aiming her ears and nose towards it. She cocked her head a little more to the right and then turned it back to the center.

"What?" Quinn asked her.

"Someone is coming up on us and it isn't Will. We need to get off the path. I want to let them by."

"Is it one of the Randae?"

"No," Santana said.

Quinn could hear the conviction in her voice. She knew what Will had told her about Santana's growing abilities, so she didn't question it. She nudged her horse off of the path and into the wood line. She waited for Santana to join her before they turned around to face the path. They were so close together that Santana's leg was just behind hers. The rumps on the horses were almost touching.

"Are they close?" Quinn asked as she surveyed the path.

"Shh," Santana told her as she put a hand on her knee.

Quinn looked at her. Santana shifted in the saddle a few times before drawing the shorter sword that Will had left her with hanging from her saddle. She tapped Quinn's leg. When Quinn saw the sword, she reach back and unsheathed her bow. She quickly fixed the string and drew a few arrows from the quiver upon her back. She held one notched loosely, so she would have time to aim before letting it loose. The others were in her left hand, holding the bow as well.

She held her breath as Santana started to take more stock in their surroundings. She knew to listen to Santana's worry. She knew that Santana could hear and smell whatever was coming up on them faster than she or Will could. She scanned the area, but she didn't hear anything.

Santana reached up with her left hand and pointed back towards the path. Then, she dismounted. Quinn reached over and grabbed the reins to her horse, tying them around the saddle horn of her own horse. She stayed in the saddle, covering Santana with her bow, as San moved through the underbrush.

She watched from her perch as San hunkered down behind a thick, tall, old tree. Short sword at the ready, San looked like she was about to ambush whoever was coming up on them. Quinn squeezed her knees into the flank of her horse to steady herself as she prepared to let loose an arrow if needed.

It was a few minutes before Quinn could hear anyone coming. She could tell by the sound of the hoof beats that they were heavily armored. There was no way that they were Wolves or someone that would be looking for them. Quinn could only wonder who they were. And, since they didn't know the colors or symbols of the kingdoms in the Enchanted Forest, Quinn had no clue how to identify them either.

Santana squatted down further. Quinn drew down, making sure that she wouldn't hit San when she let loose her arrow. She was waiting. If Santana jumped up to attack, she would let loose her fury. Her hazel eyes continued to scan the area.

She tried to control her breathing. Her time with Sue and the crazy ass training regiment that she put them through came to mind. She took a deep breath and tried to relax. She didn't want the horses to spook because of her anxiety over the situation.

The heavily armored horses came nearer. Quinn eyed each of the men as they slowly trotted passed their location. She didn't know why they were there but she was sure that it was for a good thing. She looked over at Santana, who was looking back giving her a knowing look. She nodded at Santana. The unspoken agreement was made. They had each other's backs. Santana was going to start the fight, if it came to it, but she knew that Quinn would be right behind her.

Quinn counted in her head to keep her head clear. Suddenly a vision of Rachel crossed her mind. She had to get through this to get back to Rachel. She had to get Santana back for Brittney. Once she found Will, again, they had to get her back for Danni. They were doing this for love and now, they were going to have to prove their metal. If they could get through this, they could get through anything in this world. Quinn was sure of it.

Suddenly, she felt a presence by her. She didn't want to move her head to see who it was, but she knew that would have to soon. Then there was a flash of movement behind the horse and to her left. She saw the shadow moving forward. She barely recognized it.

It was Will, but it wasn't. The hulking mass before her was stealthily moving through the underbrush. She turned and looked back at Quinn. The only way that she realized that it was Will was her piercing blue eyes. They reminded Quinn of Brittney's the few times that she saw the other blonde angry. She nodded to the warrior. There was something that past between them but Quinn couldn't define it. She returned her attention to the path and the heavily armored men coming up.

Will continued to move towards Santana. When she reached the Latina's side, San didn't seem that distracted or surprised. She just nodded at the larger-than-life Will that was moving up to hide behind her own tree. They didn't question one another or the need to hide. It was enough that Quinn and Santana knew to take cover and were protecting each other.

They were both taking their cues from Will. When she just let the men wander past, Quinn could only wonder why. After a few minutes, Will motioned for Santana to go back to where Quinn was. She sheathed her sword and quickly made her way back. She mounted her horse from the side with a quick jump and then righted herself. Quinn handed her the reins. Will quickly joined them on her horse. She wasn't so hulked out anymore.

"Um…"

"Later, both of you."

"I found a way around this. And, those knights are going to be our cover. They will keep the Randae busy while we find a way to get to the valley and get the plant we are looking for."

"Where were you?" Quinn asked.

"I sent a raven back to Regina."

"And?" Santana asked.

"We need to move. Forces are closing in and I think that Hori has something to do with it. We are leaving them and going on our own. We need to go, now."

"Umm, not to sound stupid but how are you sending ravens to Regina?" Santana asked.

"Magical parchments. Did you really think that she was going to send us out here without a way to talk to her? Regina is known to do some questionable things, but protecting her investments and family isn't one of them. She wanted to give us a way to talk to her, especially if we needed her. And, most of the people of the Enchanted Forest know not to cross her. They still remember her as the Evil Quinn. I'll send her another raven quickly and then we need to move."

"Agreed," Quinn said.

"Let's go," Santana replied as they pulled out of the woods and back towards the path without the Wolves following them or leading.

They were now on their own and for the first time, Quinn wasn't afraid. It was like she suddenly knew where they were going. She took the lead and Will didn't question it. They rode off in silence towards their destination and their quest for the plant to make Danni better.


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19**

Regina sat in her study. It was the first time in weeks that she'd left either Danni's or Red's side. Since having Brittney speak with Red, she felt comfortable enough to get back to the business of running the kingdom. She knew that Emma was still spending time with both of them. And, she would indulge regularly. She just wasn't staying in there permanently like she had been.

She sighed as she heard the raven coming through her window. She was glad that she'd given Will the magical parchment. It seems that it was needed more than she thought. She smiled because she knew that it meant she was getting an update on their progress to finding the Rubrum Leaena Faolan. When she received word that Will was looking for "Red Lioness Wolf's bane," she almost lost her mind. She couldn't believe that the Vulcannonian wanted to give her poison, but Belle assuaged her fears.

The red flowering plant was similar in nature to the poisonous wolf's bane, but it wasn't anywhere near as toxic. With her research, Belle told Regina that it was used as an herbal tea to remedy magical fevers. It was only found in a valley in Ulfland and the Wolves guarded it fiercely. They used it for medicine and to counteract silver poisoning. When Belle gave her books to read about it, she calmed because she remembered that even if Danni took a fatal dose over fifty pounds at once, a feat that really couldn't be accomplished, that she was still the Dark One. She would live through it with no problems but a minor stomach ache.

She waved the raven over to her desk. It transformed into parchment as soon as it landed on her desk. She saw the familiar scrawl of Wilhelmina on the page. She was surprised to see that she was writing in Vulcannonian, but then again, she wasn't. Will liked to take precautions with everything. This was just something else, or so she thought. Then, she read the words on the page.

"BELLE!" she screamed out.

A pageboy came running in the room. He had a harried look on his face, but bowed for his queen. He knew by the tone in her voice that she wasn't happy and something was most definitely wrong in the State of the Four Kingdoms. He slowly raised his head to get her orders.

"Find Belle. Quickly. I need her here now!"

He bowed again, not needing to be told that he was dismissed. He scurried out of the room and went in search of the Bookworm, the Queen of the Dark Kingdom (formerly Rumple's). He made sure to close the door quietly as he left, not wanting to disturb her further.

Regina dropped the parchment she was holding. She reached over and grabbed another one of her enchanted raven parchments. She knew that she would have to wait for Belle to compose the note, but she also knew that she had to get the kingdom on alert. She didn't want to raise awareness about the possible threat from Ulfland, but she knew that she couldn't dismiss the idea either. She drew a quill and began writing orders. She knew that patrols would have to be picked up on the border lands. She knew that Emma would want to see to it personally.

Belle came in quickly. She wasn't sure why she was summoned so quickly, but she came quickly. She knew that if Regina was sending a page and not magicking herself to Belle's side it must be something important. She looked out of breath when she stopped in front of the table that Regina was using as desk.

"Regina?"

"Good. You're here. I need your help."

"With what?" Belle asked her.

"Will has found out some things about Danni's friends."

"Meaning?"

"It seems that everyone that Danni surrounded herself with is special in their own way. Brittney as we already discovered is an Empath. But, the rest seem to be effected by their prolonged stay here. Will has learned on her travels that Santana is a Wolf."

"She's a were?"

"Yes, apparently from a long line of Spanish Wolves. I don't know if they have an relations to the Wolves in Ulfland. They aren't going to waste any time to find out. They are worried about her, though," Regina told her.

"What? Why are they worried about her? What's happening?" Belle questioned.

"She hasn't turned. The full moon is tomorrow and they have no idea how she will react. They are going to tell her tonight. But, that isn't the troubling part."

"That's not the troubling part?"

Regina picked up the Vulcannonian's parchment and tossed it at Belle. The petite woman picked it up and read it quickly. Regina knew that Belle was the only other person in the kingdom that could read Vulcannonian. She watched as Belle read the note. When the blue-eyed woman looked back up at her, she had a silly smirk on her face.

"We need to see Red's cloak to them."

"I was thinking the same thing. I am hoping that Will is sending me another parchment soon with their location. I can't just poof it to her without knowing where it's going. But, that is only one of the problems. Keep reading," Regina commanded.

Belle read the parchment further. She started from the beginning and reread it all. She realized what Regina was really upset about. She was worried about Santana and Quinn, but she was more worried about the possible problem with the Wolves. She knew that Randae were the knights of the crown, but would they actually threaten Red's Alpha status?

"They wouldn't?" Belle inquired.

"They might."

"What are you going to do?"

"If Will was here, I would send her out to see how real the threat is. But, she isn't here. I have to treat it as it if was going to happen tomorrow. They know that Will is away and that know that Red is here. We've been able to keep her state a secret for a while, but that doesn't mean that we will continue to be able to do it. We need to make sure that no one finds out about her conditions. We can't let them do anything to her," Regina replied with a desperation in her voice that Belle had never heard before.

"I love her, too, Regina. She is my wife, remember? We have a daughter, your niece Danielle Coraline. We named her after Coraline, remember? She's sitting with her other mother at the moment. And, evidently, we have two more on the way. I know that you know I will fight. I am not going to let some crazy hell-bent Wolf threaten my family. That includes you, too, Regina. I will draw blood if necessary."

"I have no doubt in that, Bookworm. You have teeth and you aren't afraid to use them. I appreciate that. I do. But, I am going to leave this up to Charming and Emma. They are the fighters and I am going to let them secure the kingdoms."

"And, what about Red?"

"I'll be setting up a field around her. No one will be able to enter her room except those I deem necessary. I am not going to let anything happen to my sister."

Belle nodded. She understood that the threat was very real to Regina and not having Will there to comfort her fears, even Emma would do it as well, was a little disconcerting. She wasn't afraid that something might happen to Wilhelmina like she was with Emma or Red. Will was immortal. She could take the hits and keep on fighting. Emma could not. She watched as Regina swallowed hard. They had plans to make and they needed to do them quickly.

"I'll get Brittney. I'll talk with Red. We'll figure out what to do," Belle told her.

"Do one thing for me?"

"What's that?" Belle replied in question.

"Find out what Red Lioness Wolf's Bane is and why it is so damn important to Will."

"Is that what they are looking for?" Belle asked.

"Yes, why?"

"It is a magical herb used in magic sickness. It is almost a cure all, but it is only found in Ulfland in one valley. I know where they are going, but I don't know where they are now. I'll go talk to Red. I'll be back. Send a parchment to Will. We need to know how close they are to the Valley of Faolan. If they can get to the Rebe Peeks, then I can give you the information to guide them into the Nic'draca Rebe. There they'll find the flower they seek."

"I'm sending the raven now," Regina told her as she composed another note.

Once it was completed, she folded it up. She stood up from her desk and walked over to the window. She threw the parchment out the window and watched it turn into a raven. As it flew away, Regina smiled. She hoped that Will would get the information quickly and respond.

"How long until you hear back from them?" Belle asked.

"I never know. But, hopefully soon. I know that Will will send it as soon as she can. She isn't going to play around and wait. Especially since Santana is going to phase tomorrow. She knows that she is on borrowed time."

"What are you going to do about the borders?"

"We'll have to tell Emma what's going on."

"What about Brittney?" Belle questioned.

"Go get her. We should tell her the truth now. It will be better that she knows what she is getting into, and you can help assure her. They are both going to need our help."

"I'll go get them both."

Regina just nodded as Belle left. She didn't know what else to do. She couldn't protect Danni without Will's help. She couldn't protect Red without the knowledge that Brittney had given her. She couldn't protect Danni's friends without the help of everyone around her. She had unending magical resources around her and she was still defenseless against certain threats. It didn't make her happy.

She grabbed the maps of the lands of the kingdoms surrounding Ulfland. She wanted to start parchment ravens to send to their allies to the north and the west. She needed to make sure that the Randae that were staying on their land and not preparing to invade. If they were, Regina wanted to make sure that they were dealt with quickly and without mercy. She had fought hard for the peace they had and she wasn't going to let it die. If the Randae wanted to usurp their queen, then they were going to have to go through Regina to do it.

"Your majesty," Brittney stated bringing Regina out of her thoughts.

She turned to face the blonde. Her clear blue eyes were full of questions and all Regina could do was smile. She pointed to a chair and Brittney walked over it to, taking the seat.

It was only a few minutes later that Belle and Emma came into the room. Belle looked flustered and then she saw the blonde waiting on them. She calmed immediately, nodding at the blonde and silently thanking her for not only being there, but helping calm her. Brittney nodded back in return. There was a silent conversation between them as Belle took a seat beside her.

"What's going on, Love?" Emma asked as she walked over to another chair and took a seat.

"Please remember to stay calm as I tell you this," Regina looked at Brittney as she finished her statement. The blonde nodded in the affirmative. Regina waited for a few seconds and then continued. She knew that this was going to be hard to hear from her, but they deserved to know. "I've heard from Will."

"What happened?" Emma asked.

"Nothing yet, and that may or may not be the problem. She's has gotten word that the Randae are breaking. It seems that their commander is thinking of challenging Red for the position of Alpha. He is moving the Randae around the kingdoms. He is looking for word on Red and where she is. Don't worry. I've already taken some precautions in order to protect her."

"Why do I have a feeling that isn't the only bad news that Will sent back?" Emma asked

"What is it?" Brittney asked.

"Will has been around magical beings longer than we have. She knows how to recognize them and what to do with them as well, especially if they become a threat to the kingdom. It seems that she has found a new being on her travels," Regina told them.

"What is it?" Emma questioned.

"It isn't something that we really have to be worried about. Will is dealing with the issue as well as she can. The biggest thing is that we have to be able to support her and those who come back with her like we always have. She is going to need our help," Regina replied.

"Anything, you know that," Emma stated.

"You already know how I feel about it, Regina," Belle told her.

"Why aren't you telling me everything?" Brittney asked her.

Regina looked at her. There was something in her blue eyes that she could deny. This was the woman who helped give her her sister back to her. Who was she to deny her the truth now?

"This isn't going to be easy for you, Brittney. But, you are right. You all need to know everything that Will has found out. I have no right to keep it from you," Regina told her.

"What's wrong? I can feel your anxiety from her. What's happened?"

"Nothing yet and we are hoping to keep it that way for a while. Will has discovered through her own knowledge and then that of the Randae that one your friends is also a were. She hasn't changed yet and Will is afraid of her reaction. She is doing everything that she can, but we want to send her something to help her this time," Regina explained.

"A were?"

"One of them is a Wolf?" Emma asked.

"Yes, she is, but she doesn't know that she is. It seems that the longer you four are exposed to magic, the more your magical natures are drawn out. Brittney, you're an Empath. And, while I am grateful for your abilities, I am sure that it was slightly hard for you to know what you are."

"Not really. I've been like this all my life. It just seems to be amplified here. But, I mean, yeah, talking with Red was new but it wasn't hard. I've been different all my life," Brittney replied.

"I am glad that you feel that way," Regina told her.

"What is it? No, rather, who is it? I am assuming that it is Santana."

"Why do you say that?" Regina asked.

"Because if it was Quinn, you would have Rachel in here. Or, it could be Quinn and you are trying to gauge how Rachel will react. I think that you are afraid of us on some level because we are so close to your daughter and we haven't really left her side since we came her."

"That last part is true. You do know my daughter better than I do, but that is because of circumstances beyond my control. I am doing everything that I can to prove to her that we don't want her to leave again, but I can't do that when I can't talk to her. I need her to get well. I need for her to know that I love her and that I will do anything for her."

"She knows that," Brittney said simply.

Regina nodded and leaned back in her chair. She regarded the women before her. They each had their own problems to deal with, but they had each bonded because of those hardships. They were learning to trust each other and work together for a common goal. She needed to get it out.

"It is Santana," Regina stated.

Brittney took a sharp breath, but she didn't make any visible outward signs of distress. Regina watched her. Belle turned to face her. Blue eyes met blue and held.

"That's why Belle is here?" Brittney questioned.

"She can help you," Regina added.

Brittney shook her head. She turned to face Belle a little more fully. The small brunette reached over and held out her hand. Brittney looked down at the hand and then took it. The calm that Belle was giving her helped to assuage her fears.

"What do we need to do?" Brittney asked as she turned to face Regina a little more fully.

"We need to be able to get Ruby's cloak to her so she won't phase until she is back here with us and in a confined environment. I would feel better if Red was awake, but I know that we may not have that luxury. I am more afraid of the Randae at the moment and I know that we need to make plans to keep them in check. I need to know that I can count on you all to help me."

"I am in," Emma stated.

"I will do anything to help them," Belle added.

"I will help you in any way I can. Just let me know. I may not know how to deal with everything here, but you'll find that we are quick learners. But, like you, my Queen, I would prefer that Santana and Quinn were back. Unfortunately we don't have that time or luxury at the moment, so tell me what you need of me," Brittney said.

"Well, you're taking it extremely well," Emma stated giving them a smirk.

Brittney turned to face Emma. Their eyes met, blue and green. Emma's smirk faded as Brittney looked at her. There was a silent conversation between the two. Before Emma could say anything, Brittney shook her head and Emma closed her mouth. When Emma looked over at Regina, she had a fire in her eyes.

"I'll go deal with the knights. We'll start doing more patrols. I'll keep them close to the borders of the three kingdoms. I wouldn't want them to think that we are aware of their plans. I'll keep them on our sides of the border. Is there anything else you need from me, right now?" Emma asked as she started to stand.

"Yes, there is," Brittney told her.

Regina and Emma stared at the younger blonde. Belle reached out to take her arm, but Brittney pulled away from her. She needed to do this. She wasn't going to back away from this, not now, not ever. Santana needed her and she was going to be prepared.

"What, Little One?" Regina asked her amused by the conviction in her voice.

"You want me to help you, then help me."

"With what?" Belle questioned as she stood up with them.

"I will stay with Danni and try to break through to her and see if we can figure out how she contracted the magical fever. I will continue to work with Red. But, I need you to all agree to teach me what I need to know. From you, my Queen, I will need help with magic and what I need to look out for in order to help Santana. I would also ask that you help me find a way to help her while she comes to grips with her abilities."

"I would be happy to help you, Little One," Regina told her.

"And, from you, Queen Emma, I ask that you allow me to work out with you. I understand that physical prowess isn't something that I need to possess with my powers, but I have always been active. I am a dancer. I was a cheerleader. So, I expect you to work me hard. I would also learn how to be proficient in the weapons of the castle. I will not stand back and allow Danni, Quinn or Santana to be the ones defending us while we are here. I can stage fight, but I know that it isn't the same," Brittney replied.

"I would be honored to teach you and to work out with you, Brittney," Emma said.

"And, Belle, you are going to have the hardest job of them all. I am going to want to research Santana's blood lines. I want to find out how her Wolf line compares to those here, even to see if she has family. Also, I want to learn everything that you can teach me about the Ulf and their ways. The more I know about it, the more I can help Santana process things. I also have some personal questions that I think would be better left asked when we are alone," Brittney stated.

"That sounds like a fine idea, Brittney. Now, if you will all excuse me, I am going back to Red's room. Brittney, feel free to join me when you'd like. I am sure that there are things that Red would like to tell you on her own," Belle replied with a slight smirk and she left.

Brittney nodded at them, then dropped a curtsey before leaving. She followed Belle out the door. Emma and Regina just grinned at the younger blonde.

"She's a special one," Emma stated.

"That she is, Dear. Her empathic abilities have been a part of her since birth and she has taken to the extra strength of them here well. She isn't afraid to face fear and deal with it. I don't know what those girls dealt with before they met Danni, but they each have their own darkness. They came together and fought it. Maybe that is what drew Danni to them. She could see their darkness and magic inside them and thought that she could learn from it," Regina explained.

"Maybe," Emma started. "We won't know if Danni knew that they had powers until she isn't so feverish. She is still talking in tongues that Belle doesn't recognize. There is no telling how many different worlds that she went through before she went back to Storybrooke before coming back to us. She's older than we are now, Regina. She's been through more than we can ever fathom, but that doesn't mean that I don't love any less. If anything, I love her more."

"I never said that it did, Dear. Brittney knows that we will do anything to help them. She can feel it emanating from us. She is brilliant in her own way. I think that is why she is so calm about her girlfriend being a werewolf," Regina told her.

"Wife."

"What?"

"Santana is her wife," Emma replied.

"Excuse me?"

"Santana and Brittney are married. Just like Quinn and Rachel are. Danni was their friend, but she never sought anyone else to comfort her. She surrounded herself with love so she didn't feel alone. Those women, her friends, replaced us as her family. Quinn and Rachel are like us. Santana and Brittney are her new Belle and Red. We have to face the fact that our daughter has chosen people that remind her of us and they are a generation younger," Emma stated taking her wife's hand and pulling her close for hug.

Regina fell into her embrace. When Emma turned her head to kiss her, she deepened the kiss quickly. No matter how long it had been or what they had been going through, Emma's kiss always soothed her. It made her feel loved and complete. Emma had almost successfully pulled her out of the room, when another raven flew in from the window.

Regina ran across the room. She opened the parchment quickly. She scanned it and then looked up at Emma. It didn't more than the look for Emma for her to respond. Emma ran out of the room and down the corridor. She knew that Regina was going to need Belle and quickly. Regina already had a raven parchment out of her desk.

Belle and Emma came running back in. Regina just held out the parchment for Belle to take. She did and she read it. Throwing it down on the desk, she ran across the room and grabbed a book of maps. She flipped through the book before her finger landed on a page. She turned the book around and showed Regina the map. Regina looked at the page and then began furiously writing. She was giving them a place to go, a place that Regina could picture enough in her mind in order to give Will what she needed. And, for Regina to picture that place, she was going to need Brittney and Red to help.

"How long?" Emma asked.

"A few hours for them to get to that point," Regina stated.

"Then let's do this," Emma stated. "I'll get Brittney ready. Do what you need to do, Regina."


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20**

Santana, Quinn, and Will were hunkered down, looking into the valley below. They had gotten the raven from Regina and they were preparing for a magical extraction. It was a game that Will knew well. Regina had helped her out several times in the past. The shard of mirror that came with the parchment was going to help both Regina and Emma "poof" in, so they could all "poof" out. Now, they were just trying to secure a location that wouldn't be ripe for an ambush.

"Is that the flower?" Quinn asked pointing to a clump of flower looking weeds.

"Yeah, but I am not sure how to get down there without being seen by the wolves."

"Okay, bitches, I have an idea. It's stupid, but it'll work. Wanna hear it?" Santana asked them.

Quinn turned and eyed her. Santana pulled at Ruby's cloak and turned to face Will directly. She knew that what she was about to say would piss Quinn off, make Brittany sad, and possibly have Rachel slap the back of her head when they got back, but she honestly couldn't see another way. She just hoped that she could convince them of the same.

"What is it?" Will asked her with a skeptical look.

"I drop the cloak and you get the flowers."

"San…come on, not now."

"NO, now. I'm a gods damned werewolf. The moon will be up soon and then only thing that is keeping me from turning is this freaking red robe," Santana replied.

"San, you're not ready for that pain."

"Think Will. Think. I know pain. Trust me, we all do. I think that it is a reason that Danni was drawn to us besides the obvious, but I can handle it. Can you handle getting the flowers and getting me home like that? That is the bigger question," Santana stated.

"I could make a draught for you to take, but Quinn would have to shoot you…"

"You want me to what?" Quinn inquired with her voice full of rage.

"As a wolf, she wouldn't drink it. You would have to shoot her with an arrow tipped in it. I'll scoop her up, Regina and Emma will come in and save the day. Everyone goes home a hero."

"Except I will have shot my best friend," Quinn replied, still on edge.

"Have a better idea?" San asked her.

"Yeah, we make this draught and tip our arrows. We shoot the damn wolves and not you. Regina and Emma poof or whatever in and we all go back to the castle whole. That sounds a helluva lot better to me. You?" Quinn questioned.

"I was planning on that, but Santana will be able to draw them away. I know it doesn't seem logical or ideal, but Santana has a point. The Randae have been looking for us since we broke away. We still don't know who the other knights are. We don't know if they are on our side or if they are a threat to the crown. That means we get in, get out, and call Regina for our extraction. There isn't going to be time to doddle. San being all were-wolfed out will only help us keep the other wolves at bay. She will be able to tell us where they are, how many, and what their intentions are towards us. I will need your eyes and ears for the knights while I gather the flowers. Do you think that you can handle that Quinn?" Will asked her.

"I can handle it. I don't like it, but I can handle it. How are you going to find the flowers at night, though?" Quinn inquired.

"That is where you come in, my little elf," Will told her with a strange smirk.

"Umm…what?" Santana probed.

"Turns out that you aren't the only special one, Satan's Mutt," Quinn replied.

"But, Rachel is the hobbit, not you," Santana stated ignoring her jibe.

"That is what you call her, yes, but it turns out that I am descended from high elves. Don't ask me what that means, 'cause I sure as hell don't know. I'm learning about this as we go."

"Well, seems, I'll have to start calling the hobbit something else," Santana muttered.

"San…"

"Can we do this later?" Will asked them, shocked at their sudden juvenile behavior.

"Sure."

"We're playing follow the leader, so lead," San stated.

Will huffed at the remark, but she understood their sentiments. They bickered like children because it was how they coped. She could see the worry in their eyes, on their faces, and she knew that she should be worried, but strangely enough she wasn't. Partially because she knew that she would be able to walk away from whatever fight they ran into without any issue, but the other reason was because she knew that Regina was homing in on them and where they were. If the preverbial shit actually hit the fan, she knew that Regina would get Quinn and Santana out quickly before worrying about her. She could hold her own and she knew that Regina knew that.

"We need to find somewhere near there but off of their paths to nap until after sundown. Do you see anything Quinn that might benefit us? It doesn't have to be big. I am going to loose the horses soon, so they won't be hindering us."

"Won't Regina miss the horses?" Santana asked as she scanned the woods around them.

"No."

Quinn didn't answer. She just gave her a look and cocked her eyebrow. She shook her head at that Vulcannonian when Will pointed down into the valley again. Quinn turned back to the valley and scanned, trying to find somewhere big enough to hide them until moonrise.

When she found it, she pointed towards a small copse of trees that were downwind of the river. She knew that the river would give them some coverage for their smell. Having Santana be a Wolf would give them more. For the most part, Quinn knew that Will was hoping that the Randae wouldn't come hunting them down. They would be able to hide long if they did. The advent that there was some unknown force patrolling the area gave them cause to hide as well.

Will gave her an affirmative head nod and they were on their way. Keeping close together and stepping lightly, they made their way through the woods. Will had taken Ruby's cloak and turned it inside out, letting the dark under coat be visible. The bright red trim was still hard to hide, but it was better than making Santana a red beacon in a sea of greens, greys, and browns.

Once they reached their destination, Will scaled the tree. Quinn watched her with wonder. There were so many questions that she wanted to ask the Vulcannonian but she wasn't sure where to start. Finding out that she was an elf didn't really bother her as much as she thought it should. Finding out that Santana was a werewolf only answered questions that she didn't know that she had when it came to her best friend. Learning that Brittany was special too made sense to her. She could tell that Danni surrounded herself with people and things that she was familiar with from home without even knowing it. Maybe that is why they all got along together. They were meant for "fantastic" things.

"Go to sleep, you two. I'll take watch. I'll wake you at nightfall."

Quinn nodded as she saddled up to a big tree trunk. She drew her sword and laid it down beside her. Santana did the same, but made sure to keep the cloak wrapped around her as tightly as she could. What they weren't expecting was Will to pull a cloak or blanket or whatever it was out of a satchel and drape of the both of them.

"Don't worry. It'll keep you warm and dry. No one will see you if you stay under it as well. Sleep. I'll be up there," she told them as she scaled the tree again to take up a sentinel's position over them and their prize, the flowers in the valley.

Quinn just sank into Santana's warmth. She pulled the dull brown blanket up a little further and closed her eyes. She wasn't going to wait for them to tell her to sleep. She knew that they would be moving quickly once they got the flowers. Time wasn't a luxury they would have later. Things would be chaotic and dangerous and she would need her wits about her. Sleep would be her friend now. She felt odd leaving Will on watch, but she was Vulcannonian. She might not know what that meant fully yet, but she wasn't going to question the woman, not now anyway.

The next thing she knew it was dark. The moon was just starting to crest of the tips of the mountains. If they weren't worried about being killed or the mission at hand, Quinn figured that she would stop to appreciate the beauty that surrounded her. As it was, she couldn't. Absently, she wondered if Rachel would ever consider a little cabin by a lake for a vacation.

Shaking herself awake, she looked over at Santana. The Latina looked rested, but tense. Giving what they were about to do, she understood. She reached out and took San's hand. The Latina turned to face her. No words were said, but they understood. They would take care of each other and if for some stupid reason the other didn't make it back, they would care for their lover.

"Ready?" Will asked them.

A quick nod was all that Santana gave them as she reached up and untied the red cloak from Ruby. Will took it and stored it away. They all turned and looked at the full moon.

Santana stepped away from them. She wasn't sure what it would entail as she "turned" and she didn't want to hurt them. When Quinn took a step towards her, she raised a hand as Will dropped one of her hands on Quinn's shoulder. Hazel eyes met the changing dark eyes of the Latina. She knew that San was trying to comfort her, but the pain she saw in her eyes wasn't helping. Quinn shook off Will's hand as soon as Santana contorted in pain.

The Latina Wolf shook and seized. The whimpers that flowed from her lips surged Quinn towards her, but Will grabbed her around the waist, holding her back. Quinn fought with her to try to get to her friend even though that she knew that there was nothing she could do. She was freaking out as Santana's body contracted and contorted until it started to take the shape of a very, very large wolf. Her mind immediately went to Jacob Black and Twilight, but this wasn't a story. This was her friend.

Will didn't let her go much to Quinn's dismay. They both watched as Santana rolled her newly formed body like she was testing the strength of her muscles. Quinn was in awe of the grace that she possessed. It shouldn't surprise her though because of Quinn's cheer and dance background. She moved lithely towards them, sniffing the air like she was trying to figure out who they were.

"She doesn't know us in that form," Will whispered in her ear.

"Will she attack us?"

"I hope not."

Quinn shuttered at the thought. She knew that San would never forgive herself if she did something in her Wolf form that caused harm to anyone she loved. Quinn knew that, but seeing Santana in that form was frightening. Her jet black fur shined in the moonlight. Her eyes weren't dark, but this amazing golden color. Quinn could find herself getting lost in them if she wanted to, but she knew that she couldn't. The being before her wasn't Santana, but she was, too. It was complicated. She held her breath as San got closer to them.

"San?" Quinn whispered as the Wolf sniffed her hair.

The Wolf took a step back and sat on her haunches. She looked at both of them with her golden eyes. There was something there that Quinn couldn't describe. It was almost as if she knew them. Quinn knew better than to hope for it or believe it.

"Wow," Will stated as she stepped around Quinn and ruffled the fur between San's ears.

"What?" Quinn asked surprised at the older woman's actions.

"She has more control than she should as an almost newborn."

"That's San for you," Quinn quipped.

Will just watched them both. Quinn walked up to her, now unafraid, and pet her. There was a sort of whimpering whine from the Wolf, but it wasn't aggressive. Quinn seemed to like Santana in this form or maybe she was just partial to animals. Will wasn't sure, but she didn't want to fully test Santana's loyalties at the moment.

She knew from first-hand experience that this was going to be a dangerous mission. She was unleashing a fledgling wolf on a pack of Randae, trained wolf warriors. Seriously, she was more worried about loyal Randae than she was Santana. A fledgling was strong and undisciplined, but Santana was showing strength and discipline. She looked like she understood what was being asked of her in this form. It took years for most Wolves to be able to understand human communication in their Wolf forms. Santana was already doing it.

"It's okay, San. I won't tell Britt that you are a gorgeous wolf. I'll let you do that," Quinn said.

"Umm…"

"What?"

"I might have already told Regina and Regina probably told Brittany," Will told her.

There was slight growl from San, but she just move from where she was. Will could see the sadness in her eyes. She knew that women were all close, but it was taking this mission for her to understand it. They were as loyal to Danni as they were to each other, like she was to Regina.

"I had to, Santana. You have to understand that I didn't do it to betray your trust. I did it because of what we are doing. I was worried about what would happen to you when you changed. How else do you think that I got Ruby's cloak? I don't possess magic."

The black wolf hung her head. She patted over to Will and rubbed her head against her hand. Will know that they were still good.

"We need to move."

"The draught?" Quinn asked.

"For the arrows?"

"Yes," Quinn replied.

"I brewed it while you were sleeping. It's over there in that bowl. We'll need to hurry. I want to get fully into the valley before the moon reaches its zenith. San, you'll need to go in before us. The other wolves will smell you and investigate. Lead them away, find a way to double back and hurry," Will told her.

Santana dipped her head. Will reached out and pet her again. Then Santana was gone into the underbrush. When Will turned around to check on Quinn, she was slinging the quiver of arrows on her back. She stood to her full height and her hazel eyes met Will's blue.

"She'll be fine," Quinn told her.

"Are you going to be able to shoot her if need be?" Will asked.

"If she challenges us, I will," Quinn replied.

There was a conviction in her voice, but Will could also hear the sadness there, too. She knew that no one wanted to shoot San, but if she turned on them because the Wolf pack mentality took over, they would have no choice. She shook her head in acknowledgement as she grabbed her own quiver. She pointed to a small path in the woods with the tip of her bow and they were off.

Two tricky hours later, they were walking into the valley and were just a few feet from the Red Lion's Wolfs bane. Quinn surveyed their surroundings. She couldn't see anything but trees. She gave a small nod and Will began to collect the flowers.

Quinn didn't want to admit that she was worried. They hadn't seen or heard anything from San or the other Wolves since San went her own way. She was scared. She didn't want to go back to Brittany without San, but she knew that they were on borrowed time. The Randae wouldn't spare them now if they found them. It didn't matter that Will was a Loban. They would make an example of them while they were trying to overthrow the throne of Ulf.

"I've got enough," Will whispered to her.

Quinn nodded in affirmation and took another glance around the area. She didn't hear a thing and that worried her more than she could voice. She stole a glance at Will, and realized that the Vulcannonian had the same trepidation in her eyes. She blinked at then she heard it…a low whine from the brush just yards back into the tree line before them.

"Can you see it?" Will asked quietly.

Quinn's eyes scanned the area, but she couldn't make anything out. She shook her head negative, but took a few, small, tentative steps towards the sound. She heard Will notch and arrow and she did the same. They couldn't be too careful now. They had their cargo and they needed to get back to the castle.

"Call Regina," Quinn told her.

"What about San?"

"She'll be here soon," Quinn assured her, hoping that she was right as she still, very slowly moved towards where the whimpering was happening.

Will pulled out the sliver of mirror and called out for Regina. It was quiet and she wasn't sure that it was loud enough for her to get Regina's attention, but she didn't want to speak any louder for fear that they were surrounded by the Randae. It was enough though. Regina's face appeared in the shard.

"Where are you?"

"In the base of the valley," Will replied.

"And, the others," Regina asked.

"Quinn is with me. San morphed. We are trying to get her now."

"She's morphed?"

"Not now, Regina. We need to get back. I have a feeling that the Randae are just waiting for us to make a mistake. We're not exactly in a great and defendable position," Will answered.

"Fair enough. Let me see where you are. I need to be able to visualize it to get there."

Will raised herself up a little. She held up the shard and rotated around their position. She did this several times before bringing it back in front of her face.

"That was smart. I got it. Head towards the tree line. I'll try to get as close to it as I can," Regina commanded her.

Will nodded and dropped the shard back into a pocket on her belt. She nudged Quinn and they kept moving towards the tree line and the whimpering sound. Each of them ready to shoot if needed and both hoping that it was Santana, hurt in front of them.

Will nodded and dropped the shard back into a pocket on her belt. She nudged Quinn and they kept moving towards the tree line and the whimpering sound. Each of them ready to shoot if needed and both hoping that it was Santana, hurt in front of them.

They neared the whimpering beast and to both of their dismays it was Santana. She'd been shot with an arrow in her left hind leg. She was laying on her right side. Her eyes were full of pain, but Quinn knelt beside her and brushed her fur. She was trying to comfort her friend.

"We'll get you back, San. You'll be fine. I promise," Quinn told her before she looked up to see Will's pained eyes.

There were many things that Quinn hadn't been prepared for in the last few weeks. Learning that fairy tales were real didn't faze her so much. Going through the mirror portal to get to the Enchanted Forest had been actually quite fun, though she knew that she would never admit it. Learning the truth about some of her most beloved children's stories and how wrong they were, only made her want to dig deeper. Her educated brain and love of literature wanted to study the nuances of what was right and what was so very wrong. She wanted see how the stories all interacted now that she was there. Meeting some of her favorite characters and finding out how they were related to one of her business partners and best friends was interesting, but with Sue Sylvester as a coach and her upbringing as a Fabray, it felt oddly like home. Singing to calm a confused and weary Danni wasn't anything that she or they hadn't done before. Going off on an adventure to find some magical flower to cure Danni had only seemed like the logical conclusion at the time. She was with her friends, in a fantasy world, and she had been trained by Sue Sylvester, a tyrant of cheerleading. She could handle all of that and more, or so she thought.

Seeing the fear, worry and pain in Wilhelmina's eyes as she looked down at San nearly broke Quinn and her sensibility. She wanted to cry, but she knew that she couldn't for Santana's sake. She saw the tears in Will's eyes. She merely shook her head at the immortal Vulcannonian. No words were said.

Will thrust the mirror shard in her hand. Quinn knew what to do. She tapped the glass because she didn't know exactly what to do to activate, but she knew that she had to talk to Regina and now. They didn't have time to wait. Regina needed to be there, now.

"Regina?"

"I'm here," she replied to Quinn's questioning.

"San's hurt. We need to go, now. We don't know who shot her."

"Do you think that you could bring her through the mirror?"

Quinn looked over at Will. The Vulcannonian nodded and she began to hulk out. Quinn smiled at the newest friend to join them. She looked back into the mirror, as Will began to scoop up Santana's injured Wolf body.

"Will has her, but there is no way that we are going to fit through this shard."

Regina cocked her eyebrow at her. Quinn cocked hers back in response. Then suddenly Emma was in the glass looking at them.

"Back up and drop the shard on the ground," Emma told her.

Quinn did as she was told. She watched as the shard hit the forest floor. Nothing seemed to happen for a few seconds. She looked over at Will with skepticism in her eyes. Will just jerked her chin upwards as the shard grew on the floor. Slowly the shard opened into a larger piece of mirror. Quinn's eyes widened, but she didn't move.

"I need to get her back if we are going to save her," Will told Quinn.

It was then that Quinn realized that Santana had passed out in Will's arms. She walked over the strange duet and rubbed her hand absentmindedly through Santana's fur. She stopped when her fingers brushed against the shaft of the arrow that was protruding from her. She studied the arrow. She leaned forward and sniffed, but there was nothing but the metallic smell of blood.

"Poison?"

"After a fashion," Will answered.

Quinn stared at her for a moment. It was mere seconds and then she looked at Santana again. The shaft and the wound had given her so many clues. Why couldn't she…oh, God, she thought.

"Silver?"

"Yes," Will stated.

"Go thru first. I'll cover the two of you. I'll be right behind you."

Will nodded as she shifted her weight. She held Santana with reverence. Quinn could see it. She was trying to keep the other woman safe and comfortable. It didn't matter that she was a Wolf. She was a friend.

Regina reached up and tapped them on the legs as she said, "Any time soon."

Quinn looked down at the mirror. She urged Will and Santana through the mirror. She wanted to make sure that they made it through safely before she jumped into the "looking glass." She smiled a little as she said it in her head. A childhood dream come true. She'd sort of become like Alice.

"Quinn, when you're ready," she heard Emma tell her.

She turned to look down into the shard. She saw Belle and Will taking Santana out of the room, presumably to get her help. She held onto her bow as she heard some rustling in the woods behind her. She took a step towards the mirror and stepped through.

She landed hard on the stone floor of the castle. She looked a little dazed for a second. She quickly stood, bow still at the ready. She loosed her arrow at the mirror they'd come through before anyone could say anything. She was already notching another one as soon as she saw the arrow pass through the glass.

"Enough!" Regina told her.

Quinn turned so see a fireball in her hand. She held the arrow loosely, slowly releasing the tension on the bow string. When Regina finally saw her stand down, she loosed her fireball. The mirror exploded on the wall. The stone behind it was charred minus a small sliver where the shard must have come from.

"Emma will take to your Belle's rooms. They are tending to Santana. I'll find Brittany and Rachel and let them know you are back safe. Go. I'll clean this mess up and then go sit with Danni until you are ready to see her."

Quinn started for the door. Emma was already in the hallway when she stopped. She turned to face Regina. She regarded her movements and how she carried herself.

"Thank you, my Queen," Quinn said simply as she saluted and nodded in bow.

Regina stopped her movements to regard the woman. She gave her a quirky smile. She waved her hands and the room was clean. The mirror was gone and the wall looked perfect again.

"Go, Little Elf, we'll talk later."

Quinn nodded and turned back to follow Emma through the castle. She couldn't help the slight bounce in her step. But the closer they got to Ruby and Belle's quarters, her heart dropped. Santana had gotten hurt and she didn't protect her. How was she going to face Rachel or Danni? How could she prove herself worthy to them if she couldn't protect Santana? And then she almost threw up when she thought of Brittany? What would she say? What would she do?


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21**

She watched as Will placed Santana on a bier. Belle was already at another table working on a tea for Danni and Red. She wasn't trying to help Santana because she didn't know how. Quinn had already heard her voice that much. What she saw instead were two fairies and Emma trying to help her. Brittany was at her side, holding a front paw and petting the black furred Wolf, while whispering to her.

Emma had removed the arrow as soon as they got her settled. Santana had howled in pain, but Brittany's comforting presence calmed her while everyone was working on her. Quinn watched in horror as a foul smelling, silver ooze flowed out of the wound. Santana whimpered and Quinn wanted so much to be in her place.

She couldn't stand to see San in pain. It hurt her. Her body jerked each time San's did and it was almost like she could feel the pain herself. She knew that it wasn't true, but it didn't change the feelings for her.

Tink and Blue were currently running their wands over the wound, but it hadn't stopped bleeding. More silver poured from it, but it was starting to ooze bright red blood as well. Quinn felt her stomach lurch. She felt her body start to contort as the urge to puke. As she turned to let her body empty her stomach, she felt two hands, each different, one on each shoulder, touch her.

She turned to her right and met the soft eyes of Regina. She was giving her a worried look, but she pointed to Quinn's left. She turned to her left and saw Rachel there. She could see the worry and the anguish in her brown eyes. They mirrored her own.

"Rach…"

"Shhh…you came back. You both came back. She'll be okay. She'll be okay," Rachel told her as she pulled Quinn into her arms.

Rachel held her as she began to break. She'd seen so much in the last few days that she wasn't sure that she could ever be whole again. But having Rachel there with her, she thought that she might get through it. She turned to look at the bier that Santana's Wolf form over Rachel's shoulder. Her heart lurched into her throat, but Rachel didn't let go.

"She isn't going to die," Rachel told her flatly.

Quinn wasn't sure. She didn't know. Santana hadn't changed back. Quinn didn't know what that meant, but she didn't think it was good.

Then suddenly, she felt calm. She let go of Rachel and turned to see Brittany walking in the room. She brushed past Quinn and Rachel, touching them. She felt the calmness get stronger. She tried to think of why she was so calm, but she couldn't come up with a reason. She tried to think about what she and Will had been talking about in the wood, but nothing was coming.

Rachel leaned forward and whispered into her ear, "Brittany is an Empath."

She turned away from the scene before her to stare into her wife's eyes. Everything from the woods came back. The secret talks that she had with Will when she couldn't sleep, the shared looks as they worried about Santana's fate, suddenly things made a little more sense. Brittany was trying to keep them all calm so they could help Santana get better.

She watched as Regina pushed the fairies out of the way and began to exam the wound. There was a quickness in her actions that Quinn couldn't identify. It almost seemed like she had done this before…with Red…and she knew exactly what to do. Things materialized beside her. The fairies took her commands willingly as they worked to save the Latin Wolf.

And, all the while, Brittany was at the head of the bier petting Santana's head and holding a paw. Words were whispered, but they were so quiet that possibly San was the only one that could hear her. Quinn couldn't make out the words, but she knew that Brittany was telling San to hold on, they were caring for her and she would be fine soon.

The sickly smell that had been coming from the wound finally stopped. Quinn peered back around to see blood on the bier. Santana's body had phased back to her human form.

She pulled away from Rachel and stepped towards the bier. Rachel let her go. Regina met her eyes and held them. Quinn didn't break the gaze as she slowly continued to step forward. Regina nodded at her. She reached out for her friend, still holding Regina's gaze. Regina tilted her head towards Santana's hip. Quinn finally broke her gaze and look at the wound.

It wasn't as big as she thought it was. But, it still looked horrible. There was an angry fever around it. Black and silver lines, almost like veins, were running from the hole. She reached out to touch the wound but Regina stopped her.

"It's poison."

"Can you stop it?" Quinn asked her, tears filling her eyes.

"I can stop it, but she won't be unscathed."

"Do it!" Quinn ordered.

Brittany even looked up at the strength of Quinn's voice. They had never heard her sound so forceful and commanding, except Brittany and Rachel when Quinn had talked to Finn. Regina nodded at her and the fairies took notice of this fact, both deciding to ask the Queen about it later. For now, everyone looked at Quinn like she had some sort of magical command and they obeyed. Rachel just watched in awe at Quinn in her armor, dirty and disheveled, as she reverted back into the HBIC.

"I'll need your help," Regina told her.

"Whatever you need," Quinn stated resolutely.

Regina nodded again. She turned to Tink and Blue and they resumed their magical healings. Regina stepped around the bier and pulled Quinn into another room. When they got in there, they noticed Will making the tea out of the Red Lion Wolfs bane.

Quinn cocked an eyebrow at the brew and Regina heard the unasked question. She shook her head negative and Quinn's heart broke. The elixir wouldn't help Santana now. She needed something else. She looked at Regina.

"She needs something that none of us can give her," Regina told her.

"Which is?"

"Elf blood," Regina stated handing her a dagger.

"Elf blood?"

"Yes, it has restorative powers against poison. Especially silver poisoning for weres. She's very lucky to have you as a friend, Little One," Regina said.

Quinn looked at her in disbelief. She tried to remember what Hori had referred to her and Santana as in the woods. It was something like can and siofa…

"Siofra…" Quinn said aloud unknowingly.

"Yes. You're from a high elf line. All the magical beings of this realm can see it. I don't know why I didn't see it earlier. The elves all live far from here, past the lands of Vulcannon, but you are here and you can help," Regina explained.

"How?"

"Prick your finger," Regina demanded.

Quinn lifted the dagger to her finger and stabbed her finger. The pain was instantaneous and she winced. She pulled the dagger away and showed her finger to Regina. The Queen smiled and reached out for her hand. Taking her hand with one hand, she turned back and grabbed a vial off the workbench of potions and spells. She squeezed just a little blood into the vial and capped it.

Quinn regarded the whole measure with intense curiosity. She didn't say anything, afraid that she might break Regina's concentration or something. Once Regina was happy with things, she grabbed Quinn and pulled her back into the other room. They both walked up to Santana.

"Hold her," Regina said to no one in particular.

Quinn reached out and held onto San's shoulder and hip. She turned towards Brittany so that she wouldn't see the nakedness of her friend, not the anguish that might cross Santana's face as they gave her the antidote. Brittany pierced Quinn's hazel eyes with her own blue as she also held Santana's shoulders. Rachel and the fairies, along with Emma, also helped to secure her to bier. Regina met Quinn's eyes briefly before walking around the bier to get closer to the wound on her hip. Once she was in place, she uncorked the vial and slowly dripped the oozing blood potion into her wound. Santana screamed and howled as she jerked and writhed beneath their hands.

After a few minutes, Regina told them, "Let her go."

They all did but Quinn. She would later realize and be grateful that it was only her that took the brunt of Santana's punishment. For when the young Wolf was released, she punch Quinn straight in the jaw before muttering a few words of thanks. Brittany and the fairies quickly covered her as Quinn stood there in shock.

Finally when she realized what happened, she turned to Regina, but addressed everyone when she told them, "I am going to take a shower."

Regina just shook her head and let her leave. They had completed their mission. They had gotten the flower. They'd saved not only Danni, but also Santana. She knew that she young girl was tired and trying to come to grips with everything that she had seen and done. Besides, Regina knew that it wasn't every day that you find out that are a mythical creature.

Quinn moved through the castle. She didn't wait to be dismissed. She didn't wait to see if Rachel was going to follow her. She needed to be out of the room. She sensed that Regina got that. She sensed that Regina got her. She wondered if they had more in common. She shook her head as she entered the rooms that they were using, silently thanking Regina that she'd conjured modern indoor plumbing.

She quickly checked on Danni, to see that there was no change. She was surprised to see that no one was in there, but then again she knew that she shouldn't be. They were all with Santana. As she turned to leave, she heard Danni whimper. She took this as a good sign and sat down with her for just a minute. She needed the quiet to clear her head.

She heard the door open. She looked up to see Will coming in the room. She had the brewed tea and some other vials on a tray. Quinn noted that she hadn't changed out of the tunic or leathers. They nodded at each other. Quinn stood up, kissed Danni on the forehead, and walked towards the door. She patted Will on the shoulder as she made her way out of the room.

She walked into the suite's bathroom. She bypassed the rooms that she was using. She didn't care about getting new clothes. She just wanted to wash off the last few days.

She got into the spacious multi-headed shower. She didn't care about the temperature at the time. She quickly bathed and washed her hair. Part of her was thankful that she was only watching dirt and grime flowing down the drain and not blood.

It wasn't that she wasn't willing. She was. She just wasn't ready to kill someone. She knew that it could have been a possibility. It had been weighing on her mind since they saw the Randae and the weight doubled as soon as they found the other knights. She stood under the spray letting the stress melt under the heat.

As the water started to cool, she reached over and turned it back up. She found herself leaning against the tile wall, head down as she let the water sluice over her. She tried to let her mind go blank but she was having a hard time.

She thought back to all the competitions that she'd done as a Cheerio. She thought about all the shit that she'd gone through in high school and college. Nothing compared to this. She could let the last few days go and pretend that it was a vacation. It was the knowledge that she was a supposedly a high elf and Santana was a werewolf that she couldn't forget.

She had just reached over and turned the temperature of the water up some more. She finally felt her muscles start to relax. She let her head hit the tile. As soon as it did, she felt two arms circle her waist. She looked down and saw the darkened arms of her wife wrapped around her.

She leaned back into the smaller woman's body. She didn't even suppress the moan that escaped. Rachel just held her tighter. She felt Rachel dropped her head against her back. Skin on skin, Quinn let Rachel help her.

"She's going to be fine, Quinn," Rachel whispered in her ear.

"I know that," Quinn replied.

"But, that isn't what's bothering you, is it?" Rachel asked her.

"No."

"Talk to me," Rachel demanded.

"I don't know what to say," Quinn replied.

"Tell me what happened."

Quinn sighed, but she didn't turn around. She didn't want to see the love, fear, hope, and worry in Rachel's soulful brown eyes. She knew that she would break further. At least with her head against the tile, no one could see her tears.

"Quinn..." Rachel started.

Quinn didn't answer. She just continued to let her tears fall into the water spray. Rachel pulled her tighter. She smiled a little at the deceptive strength of the diva. Let her head loll backwards, she felt Rachel begin to kiss her just below her left ear. She reached down and covered the tanned arms of her lover with her own, holding her close and hoping that Rachel understood how much it meant for her to be there with her like that. She dropped her head forwards towards the tiled wall once more as she tried to figure out how she was going to make atonement for Santana with everyone, especially Brittany.

She melded with Rachel, letting her wife's warmth envelope her. She lolled her head back, again, allowing it to rest on her shoulder. She looked up at the stony ceiling above the shower stall and wished to see stars. The longer she stared the more she swore she actually could.

"Make me forget this, Rachel," she pleaded.

Rachel wasn't sure how she wanted her to do that. There were plenty of ways that she thought might actually make Quinn forget everything, but she wasn't sure just exactly what Quinn wanted to forget. They seemed happy until Danni went into her fever. Quinn even seemed happy to be going on an adventure. But, the Quinn in her arms was not the same Quinn sent away from the castle. She could only wonder what happened on their journey.

"Rachel?" Quinn asked when Rachel hadn't moved or changed their positioning.

"Yes, love," Rachel replied.

"Make me feel alive, again."

And, there Rachel had her answer. Santana's near death and injury were plaguing her. Rachel knew that somewhere in Quinn's brain it had all been her fault. It didn't matter that San was better now or that she would fully recover from her wounds. Somehow, it was Quinn's fault that it happened and she needed to make some sort of penance for it. Rachel knew what she wanted then and she knew how to give it to her, but she wasn't sure that it was best option for the situation. This wasn't her trying to forgive herself for not wanting a relationship with her father or his family. Now, this was more than that. Everyone knew that Santana and Quinn were like sisters, more so than Quinn ever was with Frannie.

Rachel reached up and touched her cheek, but didn't let her go. She could feel the hot tears on Quinn's face. They were different that the temperature of the water. It was all the confirmation that Rachel needed. She knew what Quinn needed. Even if she didn't think it was the most appropriate way to grieve, Rachel understood it and was willing to help her.

She let go of Quinn's torso and pushed her roughly, front first into the tile. They were both glad that the tap was to the side of them. She didn't stop the water. She knew that the water was a screen for Quinn. It was something that she could hide her tears behind while she let herself go. Once she had Quinn in a position against the tile she liked, Rachel attacked her.

She stood on her tip toes and bit down at the junction of her neck and shoulder. She knew that it was part of Quinn's weaknesses and she knew that she needed to feel exploited. She laved the bite with her tongue as she rewrapped her arms around her. She reached up and took Quinn's bare breasts in her hands. She squeezed them harshly. She heard Quinn's rough intake of breath and she had to stop herself from asking the blonde if she was okay.

She ran her hands down Quinn's arms, pulling them backwards and placing Quinn's hands in the small of her back. She leaned forward and bit down on her earlobe. The unspoken command of don't move didn't need to be uttered. She saw Quinn shiver slightly.

She reached over and turned the water up again. By now, Quinn's skin should be blistered pink from the heat, but it wasn't. She was just deliciously warm and wet. Rachel reached out to touch her skin. She had to remind herself that it was okay for her to be rough and wanting. It was what Quinn needed. It was what she craved in this situation.

She raked her hands down her back. She smiled wickedly at the red marks that were forming and she knew that Quinn would be sore later. But, this was what Quinn desired. She needed to feel used and abused slightly. For Rachel, it hurt her to do it, but to see the calm in Quinn's eyes made it worth it.

She raked her fingers down again and Quinn couldn't help but moan. She leaned further into the wall, hiding her front from the rough torture of Rachel's nails. Rachel leaned into her, trapping her against the tile. There, she pushed her arms away and up onto the tile, stilling her movement by holding her hands flat against the tile under her own hands. She leaned into Quinn's body and kissed her skin from the base of her neck to the middle of her back, licking back up her spine, and finally settling on the spot behind Quinn's left ear.

Quinn moaned louder this time. She couldn't stop it, not did she want to either. Rachel was reveling in the way that her rough treatment was turning Quinn on. She knew that she needed to keep moving. She had to suppress the urge to take her in her arms and love her. There would be time for that, later, in their bed. Now, she needed to take Quinn with the fullest amount of desire that she could muster. She couldn't be lacking. She had to make Quinn feel every touch and make her feel alive with each of her kisses, caresses no matter how fleeting, and the roughness of her loving. Rachel knew that she was the only one that Quinn trusted with this and she loved her even more because of it.

She reached out with her left hand and put it between Quinn's shoulder blades. She pushed her shoulders and upper torso into the tile. Her right hand snaked down to her right hip and she pulled Quinn's lower body away from the wall. She knew that Quinn was off balance but she couldn't find the strength to care. She tapped her on the inside of her thighs and Quinn spread her legs.

Rachel had to bite back the moan in her throat. She never could take looking at Quinn, so deliciously open and wanting, without vocalizing her pleasure at the sight. But, tonight was for Quinn and she needed to keep herself in check. She took a deep breath. Reaching up, she slung her long brown hair over her shoulder, ignoring the water as it flowed over them. She stepped closer to Quinn and sighed.

Finally, she couldn't wait any longer. Her body and lust wouldn't let her. She reached between Quinn's thighs and touched her. Quinn's ass moved higher, trying to give Rachel better access. Rachel marveled at the sight, but she found her target. She let her finger graze across Quinn's wetness until she found her clit.

"This is what you want?" she asked, already knowing the answer.

"Yes," Quinn breathed, trying to ground herself in the feelings that Rachel was invoking.

"You want it rough?"

"Yes, please."

"You want it hard?"

"Please."

"What do you want me to do?" Rachel asked as she continued to let her fingers graze over her pussy and clit, tapping the latter every few strokes.

"Fuck me," Quinn begged.

Rachel didn't need to be told again. She dropped her head for a second and stared at the lusciousness of Quinn's ass before moving. Her fingers found their mark and dove right in. The warmth and wetness that greeted her caused Rachel to groan out a deep moan.

She felt Quinn at the intrusion. Her body clamped onto Rachel's fingers. She pushed Quinn more into the tile as she began to take her body. In and out she plunged. She listened carefully to Quinn's breathing and her body. She knew Quinn was on the edge. She knew how to read her like a book. And, when Quinn finally was on the precipice about to fall into oblivion, Rachel moved her left hand down and around her hip. She moved across her skin until her fingers found the erect and unhidden clit. She bullied it as she deepened her thrusts and pace with her other hand. Quinn's body sucked onto her fingers even more.

"YES!" she cried into the tile wall.

Rachel knew that she wasn't coming yet. She was enjoying the punishing movements that Rachel was doing to her body. Finally, Rachel showed her mercy. She leaned into her lithe form and began to kiss her back. But knowing that Quinn would need more pain than pleasure at the moment, she would kiss and bite each bit of skin that she could come into contact with. Quinn's body began to quake with the tale-tell signs of her impending orgasm. It was the only sign that Rachel needed. She quickened her pace. She pinched her clit hard. And, she found that spot at her shoulder, the tender junction where the cords of her neck but the muscles of her back and shoulder, and she bit down.

Quinn roared as she sailed into her orgasm, the pain and pleasure threshold blinding her to the world around her. There was nothing but bright lights and stars as she cried out. She didn't try to hide her pleasure. She called out for everyone and the heavens to hear her. The normal cry of ecstasy that Rachel was used to hearing had been replaced with a keening wail that was boarding on a mournful sobbing moan.

Rachel let her slump against the wall, wrapping her hands around her waist again. She held her tightly as the tears that Quinn had been shedding began to finally subside. Rachel let out a thankful sigh as Quinn's hands made their way down the tile wall and back onto Rachel's around her waist.

"Thank you," Quinn whispered.

"You never have to thank me for loving you, Quinn," Rachel told her, squeezing her tightly.

It was then that they noticed something in the distance. Rachel reached over and turned off the water so they could hear it better. After doing so, she could make out the faint sound of a voice singing.

Quinn turned in her arms. There was an unspoken look between them that they shared, knowing that they would talk about this later, but for now, they wanted to know who was singing. They knew that it wasn't Brittany or Santana. They knew their voices. And, it couldn't be Danni because Danni didn't really sing. She hummed or told them what she was looking for when it came to music and the songs for the plays.

"Who is that?" Rachel asked.

"I don't know. But, we need to find out. Come on," Quinn stated, stepping out of the shower stall and grabbing two thick towels.

They made their way to the doorway. Quinn cracked it just a little bit. That was when she realized who was singing.

"It's Will. She's singing to Danni. I didn't know she had such a good voice," Rachel stated.

"She's trying to communicate to Danni," Quinn replied.

"Huh?"

"She knows that Danni uses music to convey emotions and feelings. We talked about it while we were in the woods. But, you know that is why she is so good at the books for the shows. She is trying to talk to Danni in the only way that she can at the moment, through song. She is hoping that between it and the tea that Danni will wake," Quinn explained.

"Do you think that it'll work?" Rachel questioned.

"We can hope," Quinn answered feeling more like herself than she had in days.


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22**

She sat by her bed and wondered how long it would take for Danni to wake. She had been given a draught of the tea, but she still hadn't woken. Normally, Will wouldn't be that worried about the fever, but it was Danni and her True Love, she couldn't help but worry. She stared down at the dark haired woman and tried to will her eyes to open. She didn't care what color they would be; she just wanted to see her looking back into her own eyes again.

Rachel and Quinn had been taken turns bringing her food and water and keeping her company. They didn't want Will being alone. Regina had even taken a turn or two with the younger women. They always kept their distance, but offered her silent companionship. To be honest, they were all worried about Danni.

After everything had settled with Santana, Will went back to the suite to sit with Danni. She felt like she needed to be there. Everyone else was dealing with Santana and she didn't want Danni to be alone. She could hear the castle moving around her and she knew that Quinn and Rachel had come back to the suite. She hadn't sought them out. She knew that Quinn needed to be alone. She needed to process what was going on in her head.

She looked back at Danni. She smiled softly, but she couldn't wait to see her light brown eyes open again. She couldn't wait to talk to her again. She couldn't wait to have her again. She knew that things were far from perfect between them. She knew that Danni was going to have to process a lot of things when she woke up, but Will decided that she wouldn't have to do alone. She wasn't going to leave her side again. Well, unless, Danni made sure to keep her away like she had the last time.

It hurt knowing that Danni had pushed her away while she jumped through the portal back to Storybrooke. It hurt knowing that she had gotten Belle to basically dose everyone so that no one would remember who she was, but in the end, she couldn't fault her for it. She understood Danni's pain. She understood her need to prove to herself that she could survive without her family, without magic, and without anyone knowing who she really was.

She may not have fully understood the concept of her being the Dark One, but she understood the immortality aspect of it. Danni wasn't searching for a way to end her immortality. She had been searching for a reason to continue living. She'd finished her mission and didn't have a course of action. There was no reason for her to still be there. Regina was pregnant and she's saved "herself" from having to grow up with the love of her parents. She'd kept the family intact. She done what Will had failed to do in her timeline.

Maybe, she was the catalyst. Maybe, Will was the reason that everyone was still alive. It didn't matter to Will though. She just wanted Danni back. She knew that Danni loved her. And, even underneath the trappings of being the Dark One and hiding her identity in the past, there was always something about Danni that drew Will into her. And, it was that connection…their True Love bond…that kept pulling them back together regardless of what they did to each other. It was a feeling that Wilhelmina couldn't deny.

Suddenly, a song came to mind. She knew that healing took many forms, but Belle had told her that the four women and Danni had formed some sort of Broadway musical company. They all sang. Music had become their shared magic in New York. It helped them all heal. Will began to wonder if that would help Danni get better along with the tea. She couldn't help but start humming the tune to the song that came to mind earlier. And, before she knew it, she was actually singing it outloud.

 _"It's that feeling that someone  
Is standing behind me  
And I turn around and there's no one there  
And it's the sensation  
That someone just whispered  
Yeah and I still hear your voice but you're not really here  
Your memory is like a ghost  
And my heart is it's host_

 _I can still feel you just as close as skin  
Every now and then  
All by myself, in a crowded room, or my empty bed  
There's a place you've touched  
With your love no one gets close to  
I can still feel you, I can still feel you,  
I can still feel you, I can still feel you_…" she sang louder than she realized.

But she didn't stop. She didn't hear anything but the gentle breathing of Danni. She didn't notice that Quinn and Rachel had joined her in the room. She didn't care. She was too focused on Danni and hoping that the song would get to her. She wanted Danni to understand that she still loved her. It didn't matter what happened in the time they were apart. She'd never really stopped loving her. And the ache, that she couldn't explain after they'd returned to the Enchanted Forest, made more than perfect sense to her now.

" _You said you'd love me forever  
Then you said it's over  
And left me without the missing link  
I thought I'd forget you  
But I guess I forgot to  
And lately I've been too confused to think  
When I reach for someone new  
It's like I'm touching you…"_

Regina had tried to help her through the funk, but it didn't work. Eventually, Regina had sent her on some hair-brained quest. She knew that it was a fool's errand, but it did the trick. When she'd gotten home, she felt more like herself. Well, she felt more like the person that she had been in Boston all those years ago. She didn't feel whole, but she didn't feel empty either.

 _"I can still feel you just as close as skin  
Every now and then  
All by myself, in a crowded room, or my empty bed  
There's a place you've touched  
With your love no one gets close to  
I can still feel you, I can still feel you, I can still feel you, I can still feel you_

 _In everything that moves  
In everything I do_

 _I can still feel you just as close as skin  
Every now and then  
All by myself, in a crowded room, or my empty bed  
There's a place you've touched  
With your love no one gets close to  
I can still feel you, I can still feel you, I can still feel you, I can still feel you  
Oh I can still feel you…."_

She ended the song and turned to see Rachel and Quinn there with her. She thought that she had imagined backup singers, but the realized that she really hadn't. She figured that she shouldn't be too surprised. She'd heard them all singing, even if it was under their breaths, around the castle. Hell, even Santana and Quinn had given her a little show one night in front of the campfire. But, this was different. It was like they could all feel the pain that she was feeling.

"You gave her the potion?" Quinn asked.

"Yeah."

"How long ago?" she asked.

"About thirty minutes or so, I think," Will answered.

"Give it time. Medicine always takes a little while. It isn't always instantaneous," Rachel said.

"I know that. I just… I want her to wake up."

"We all do, Will," Rachel replied.

Will looked at the petite woman. Out of the four of them, she was the one mystery. She wasn't special. There was nothing about her that stuck out in Will's mind that could have drawn her so close Danni, but she couldn't deny their comradery. They were friends, close friends.

"She'll wake up soon," Quinn told her like it was gospel.

Will just nodded and went back to holding her hand. She didn't mean to shut them out now that they were back, but she couldn't help herself. She was so tethered to Danni, that she wasn't sure what she would do if she didn't wake. It was the first time in her many years that Will thought about letting go and allowing her life force to free itself. It really wasn't suicide and she had no plans of finding the blasted curse that Rumple had created that decimated her people. No, this would be a conscious choice to join them, a right of being Vulcannonian.

Quinn looked at Rachel. She'd seen that look before on Santana's face years ago when she was afraid to tell Brittney how she really felt. Rachel shared a look with Quinn before they decided to leave Will with Danni and check up on Santana.

"Well, I am going to see Santana. Rach is going to stay with you. If you need anything, send her to get me. We're all here for you both," Quinn told her as she put a hand on her shoulder.

Will reached up and grasped her hand. She didn't turn, but she understood that they would all do anything for her. She was the sixth member of their group even if she didn't know it. She was Danni's other half and as such, she was given the same amount of loyalty, respect and friendship that they shared. She would have smiled at this if she wasn't still worried about Danni.

"Will?" Rachel started to ask.

"Not now, Rachel."

"The song was beautiful," she said as she sat down beside her.

"It is just how I feel. I can still feel her around me. I can't talk to her, but she's still there. She never leaves my mind," Will said.

"I know what you mean."

"You do?" Will inquired giving her a side glance.

"Yes, it means that you're in love with her. I am sure that she was always thinking of you. I heard her say your name a few times, but she would never tell us more about you. I think that she was afraid that if she told us too much, it would hurt that much more. She hid that from us. I don't know if she was afraid of her love for you or she just hurt too much," Rachel told her.

Wilhelmina turned to face her then, but didn't let go of Danni's hand. She could see the truth in Rachel's eyes. It didn't make anything better, but she could understand more about the women that Danni surrounded herself with. These women were the ones that kept her sane, saved her and helped her find herself without having dark magic influence her. But, at the same time, these were the women that she helped save and gave them something bigger than themselves to strive for. She helped them build a business that made them royalty on Broadway.

"She really loves you."

"I know. I love her as well. I would do anything for her."

"I know. We all would. Just like she would do for us," Rachel replied.

"She has to get better, Rachel."

"She will."

"How can you be so sure?" Will questioned.

"Because I have to believe that she has more to do in this world. She has things to live for. She has people that care for her and want her to get better. I am sure that is somehow magical in this realm. I feel that if we keep thinking good thoughts and sending her our love, then she'll get better. Love after all is the greatest magic of all, right?" Rachel asked as gave Will a quick smile and took her Will's other hand and held it.

"Love is the greatest magic in any realm," Will replied squeezing her hand.

Quinn slowly entered the room. Brittney looked up at her and smiled. Quinn slowly returned the smile, as she got closer. She turned from holding Brittney's eyes and looked down at the slumbering Santana. She sighed and sat down beside the bed that they had moved Santana into.

"She's just sleeping," Brittney told her.

"But, she'll be fine. She'll be up soon and yelling at us for worrying so much. She'll probably even threaten to go all Lima Heights on us for giving her all this attention," Quinn said.

"I am sure she will. But, Quinn, you don't need to worry. She's fine. You brought her back and you helped heal her. There is nothing for you to be upset about it," Brittney explained.

"But it is my fault. If I hadn't taken her out there, then this wouldn't have happened. I promised you that I would bring her back to you. I almost didn't."

"Quinn, you couldn't have predicted that she was a Wolf. None of us knew. Will only realized it once you were near Ulfland. There was nothing that you could have done except be there for her. And, you were. As soon as you realized that there was something wrong, you brought her back to me. You gave her some of your blood to heal her. You did that, Quinn. No one else could have. You are special. You are a high elf and that seems to be something that is revered here. Regina seems to think very highly of you," Brittney stated.

"I don't know why," Quinn replied.

"Because you are an amazing young woman that has overcome many obstacles in your life and yet, you still look for the good in things. I envy that. I didn't fare so well when I was younger," Regina said as she entered the room to check on Santana.

Quinn just stared at the Queen. She didn't know what to say. Danni had never talked about her parents. She'd never said anything about to them about what she might have known or learned from them. But, to see this regal woman before her, to know that she was Danni's mom, to almost feel a kindred spirit in the Queen, it was almost too much for Quinn to bear.

"Will you walk with me, Quinn?" Regina asked her.

Brittney gave her a look that told her to go. Quinn gave her an almost imperceptible nod of agreement as she stood up. She turned to face Regina and followed her out of the room. Just before she got to the door, she turned to face Brittney.

"I know, Quinn. I'll see you later. Go. Talk with Regina. She can help you," Britt told her.

Quinn bobbed her head as she left the room. When she actually looked up from the stone floor, she saw that Regina had changed. She wasn't in her normal royal get up. She was dressed in leather pants and a loose linen shirt with a leather bodice over it. She held black leather gloves in her hands and stood their looking not so patient as she waited for Quinn to follow her.

"Can I ask you a question?" Quinn asked her.

"Sure, but that doesn't mean that I am going to answer it," Regina answered.

Quinn let out a breath, but smiled at the straightforward answer. She turned to regard the woman that Danni favored the most and wondered what colored her past so much that she was so…reserved, commanding…almost cold but fiercely loving. She stood before her dressed in jeans and t-shirt, because she was trying to regain some of her humanness, and looked at the woman who was standing in front of her and she realized something.

"You had a distant and very strict parent," Quinn stated.

"Was that a statement or a question, Little One?"

"Either," Quinn replied.

Regina nodded with a slight smirk and a breathless laugh. A deep honeyed brown looked into the troubled hazel. She didn't give her an answer. She just pulled Quinn through the castle and to the stables. There were already horses waiting on them.

"Ride with me," Regina said more like a command than a request.

Quinn mounted up and trotted out of the stables. Regina joined her on a deep black horse. She looked up at the blue sky and then back at Quinn and smiled. Before Quinn could ask where they were going, Regina was off at gallop towards the castle gates. Quinn wasn't as accomplished rider as the Queen but she somehow managed to keep up. When they finally came upon a stream just outside of the small village in the shadow of the castle, Regina pulled up.

"Let them drink," Regina told her as she dismounted and took her horse's reins, walking it to the stream and then letting it drink.

Quinn followed her actions. When Regina started following the stream, Quinn was a few steps behind her. Finally after about ten paces, Regina turned to face her again.

"When I was young, my mother was very strict. I believe you would call it abusive, but I didn't know any better at the time. I just wanted her to love me, so I did everything that I could to make her happy. But, of course, it was never enough. When my father finally showed what the love of a parent should be like, it didn't matter. He was so far under Mother's boot that he would never be able to help me. I tried to kill my mother several times before I was your age," Regina explained like it was a well-known fact.

"Did you ever succeed in destroying her?" Quinn inquired.

"No, in the end, the one person that I wanted to destroy more than anything did it for me."

Quinn gave her a quizzical look. She thought long and hard about Regina's history or what she knew of it versus what she was taught as fairy tales. Then, she looked back at her wide-eyed.

"Snow?"

"She cursed my mother's heart."

"Okay, so didn't see that coming," Quinn stated.

"None of us did, but I had already started the road back to redemption and had the love of Emma and Henry to keep me from killing her. The thoughts did cross my mind on more than one occasion, but the more I thought about it, I realized that letting her live was a worse fate. She would have to learn to live with the guilt of killing someone. That isn't an easy task."

"I would imagine not."

"You love Santana deeply. Everyone can see it. But, she isn't dead."

"I know that."

"Do you? Because you have been moping around and acting like your best friend died in those woods. There was no way for you to have known that someone would have been out there hunting Wolves. Ruby has already sent word with a lone trusted Wolf to inform them of the troops amassing. If anything, her injuries will save the Wolf nation."

Quinn shook her head. They shouldn't be there. That was the only thing that her head kept telling her. This was all some twisted dream and she kept trying to wake herself.

"Why won't it work?"

"Because you aren't asleep, Little One," Regina told her as she watched her pinching her arm.

Quinn was still upset about everything but she was slowly come to grips with it all. She started to realize that she would still be what she was with or without the magic in her veins, but she was still unsure of what being a high elf meant. And, she didn't know what it would mean for her future, either. The more she thought about that, the more she realized that was what was bothering her the most.

"You don't have to worry so much," Regina told her.

"And, why don't I?"

"Because we aren't going to let anything happen to any of you. Besides the fact that Danni wouldn't allow it, I've come to enjoy your presence in the castle. It makes it a little more like Storybrooke and you make Emma happy. There are finally others here that she can talk about things with without feeling like she is...well, completely out of her element," Regina stated.

"She's had a hard time adjusting?"

"No, not really. She adjusted just fine, because that is all she's ever done in her life. She's adjusted and that's part of her problem. She's taken to this world because she's still afraid that Coraline's future...Danni's true past...will come to fruition and she doesn't want that for our daughter."

"Why?" Quinn asked.

"She's a lost girl."

"Like for Pan?"

"In a sense, yes, but no. She was raised as an orphan. I know that Danni gave you the short version, but she didn't know who her parents were until she was twenty-eight. And, that wasn't the most welcoming of home comings. It turned her life upside down, much like yours is now. I mean imagine finding out that your parents are Snow White and Prince Charming and that the woman who has been raising the kid you gave up over a decade ago is the Evil Queen. To say she was shocked would be a gross understatement," Regina told her.

"Sounds familiar," Quinn replied.

"How so?"

"I have a daughter that is about twelve."

"Danni didn't mention her, nor did Belle," Regina responded.

"That's because I don't see her often."

"Why not?"

"Rachel's birth mother has her," Quinn replied.

"I am sure that is an interesting family dynamic."

"Kinda like you being married to your step-daughter's daughter and being your adopted son's step-grandmother and step-mother?" Quinn quipped.

"I suppose it could be," Regina replied with a smirk.

"She is legally Rachel's sister now and Rachel loves her as such. Shelby, Rachel's mother, lets us see her and spend time together, but we generally do it alone. It isn't that I don't want to share that with Santana and Brittney, I wouldn't care. But others are quick to judge. I was sixteen when I got pregnant with her and I kinda lost my mind after that. I also didn't think about what it would do to Rachel, who never knew who her mother was, when I gave her to Shelby in a closed adoption. At the time, I wasn't worried about Rachel. I was worried about Beth and I wanted to know that she would have a better life than I could have provided for her. I know and so does Rachel, but it made things very tense between us for a while. I can't say that I blame her though. I did give me daughter to the woman that gave up Rachel and then wanted nothing to do with her when Rachel found her as a teen. Their relationship is tenuous sometimes, but they are trying to make a go of it," Quinn told her.

"I can see where that would put a strain on your relationship," Regina replied.

"It did make things awkward. I mean, I am married to my daughter's older sister. Holidays are amusing though. But, Santana and Brittney know that Beth is mine. They get the fact that we need to have alone time together. As does, Rachel. She spends some sisterly time with her and then I get my own time. Now, with all of this and being here...I don't know what we are going to do," Quinn said.

"Bring her here. Show her this world. Let her know her lineage, Little One," Regina told her.

Quinn laughed. It wasn't jovial. It more like a sarcastic giggle. She looked at Regina to see if she really meant what she said. When she realized that Regina meant, her face fell.

"I don't even know what it really going on here and you want me to bring my offspring. Yeah, that's not going to happen. I am not even sure that I am going to tell her about this little adventure when we go home," Quinn explained. "Hell, I don't even know if we are going to go home. How am I supposed to explain that to Shelby? How am I supposed to tell her that we've decided to live in the Enchanted Forest in Fairy Tale Land. She'll try to have me committed."

"All the more reason that she should come here," Regina stated.

"I can see your point, but then again, I am can't. She'll never want to leave and I am not sure that I want to live here permanently. I could possibly handle Storybrooke, but not here. There is just too much...don't get me wrong, Majesty, but for me I like my literature on the page," Quinn replied.

"I understand that. We'll talk later, once Danni is awake. I want her to pick where she lives. Of course, I want her here because she is my daughter. But, I also understand Emma's thinking behind letting her go back to Storybrooke and live there. At least there is magic there so I could come see her and check on her. And, before you say it, I know that I could do that anyway."

"Well, yeah," Quinn quipped anyway.

"It was hard though to do that when I didn't know where she was. But, after talking with Coraline, I've found that she has been coming back to check on her younger alter-self. Even she is still worried that even though we defeated the darkness, that her fate is still sealed to grow up without us."

"How do you cope with that?" Quinn asked.

"I love her to the best of my ability and I tell her that everyday. It is the only thing that I can do. I know that my magic won't save us if the Darkness comes back. But, even Danni has tried to keep that from happening, because she is her mother's daughter," Regina told her.

"In that respect Emma's, I'm assuming?" Quinn asked.

"Oh, yes..."

Quinn laughed. She could see that after spending a few days with the two Queens. Danni definitely did have both of her mothers' temperaments.

"Do think they are wondering about us?"

"Me, no. You, possibly. Come on. We'll head back. We can talk more later."

"Why are you so worried about me, Regina?"

"Because I can see myself in you and I don't want you to have the hard life that I have had. You deserve to be happy, Quinn. Everyone does. It took Emma telling me that everyday for me to believe it. One day, you will too, but first you have to forgive yourself."

"For what?"

"Loving everyone too much," Regina said as she mounted her horse.


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23**

Rachel sat up at the moan that she heard coming from the bed. She hadn't meant to fall asleep in the chair next to Danni's bed, but she had. She knew that she could get Quinn to work out the soreness in her muscles later. She looked around the room, her brown eyes taking in everything and finally landed on Will. The poor Vulcannonian woman had slumped over and was sleeping half on the bed next to Danni. She looked around again and saw Quinn in the corner, watching her.

Normally, it would have unnerved her, but she knew that Quinn was dealing with something. She figured that she'd talk to her about it when she was ready, but for now, Rachel would let it go. If earlier had been any indication of how Quinn was handling things, she knew that Quinn was trying to process everything and learn to forgive herself. It had been the one thing that scarred their relationship, too.

"Mmmmm," Danni moaned from the bed again.

Rachel never broke Quinn's gaze as she pushed off the wall and started towards the bed. She heard Will start to stir beside. She reached out and put her hand on Will, letting her know that they were there as well with her as she woke. She felt Wilhelmina reach up and place her hand on top of hers as she straightened up beside her.

"Danni?" Will asked gently.

She moaned again. Now, Rachel and Quinn were standing directly behind Will. Danni stirred slightly in the bed, but she didn't make another noise. She looked so peaceful, but they really wanted her to wake up. They all huddled together as Will stood up and looked down at her.

The door slammed open and a dull thump could be heard at even spacing. Quinn turned to see what could be making that noise and found Santana and Brittany. As soon as she went to open her mouth to say something, Brittany waved her off with a hand gesture that she knew all too well. She gave her a quick nod to let her know that she understood. She just watched as Santana and Brittany made their way across the room. Brittany was holding her up and letting her use her as support. Quinn could tell that this was Santana's idea and Brittany has tried to dissuade her from leaving the make-shift infirmary that she had been in.

"She's starting to wake," Brittany told us as she got Santana situated against the other side of the bed.

"How-?" Wilhelmina started to ask.

"I could feel it," Brittany replied and shut down any form of rebuttal.

Santana and Quinn knew that they were still playing catch up with Brittany about the Empath thing, but they were both still dealing with their own issues. All together they were a mess, but they put all that aside because they were worried about Danni. They all just wanted her to wake up. There was an uneasy agreement between them, but they knew that they would deal with it later. They had to or they wouldn't be able to face each other or themselves.

Santana looked over at her again. Danni was shifting on the bed. As Santana watched her, everything else just faded away. Sure she could make out Brittany's breathing from everyone else's, but she'd always been able to do that. It was nothing new. No, the new thing was that she could smell the fear rolling off of Quinn, but she didn't know what the blonde had to be afraid of. Rachel smelled, well, like Berry. San shook her head as she tried to focus on Danni. She knew that Danni needed them and she could tell that she had taken the potion. She had seen the worry still on Will's face when they entered the room.

San shifted on the bed to take the pressure off of her injured hip. As she did so, her eyes met those of Quinn. She could see the war inside her hazel eyes and shook her head. She scooted closer to Danni. No one stopped her.

Everyone knew that Santana and Brittany would sleep with her after they'd all gone out or partied. So watching San get closer to her didn't upset anyone, but possibly Will, who watching every move that the new Wolf was making. San gave her a knowing look but didn't stop until she was stretched out beside Danni, lying on her good hip.

She reached up with her hand and brushed it across her face. Danni's eyes fluttered but they didn't open. San looked up at Britt and they shared a silent conversation that the rest of the room wasn't privy to; nor did they care at the moment. San turned back to Danni. She ran her hand across her cheek in a loving manner again. Danni's eyes fluttered but still didn't open. San didn't give up. She kept touching her face trying to wake her as Regina and Emma came in the room as well.

"Come on, _mija._ I need you to wake up. Show me your _grandes ojos marrones,"_ Santana told her as she continued to run the back of her hand down Danni's face.

Everyone else seemed to be transfixed by the scene before them but Regina. She seemed to be agitated by the words that Santana was speaking. She knew that she shouldn't be upset, but she couldn't help it. These women were closer to her daughter than she had ever been. She had been mad at Ruby and Belle before she realized that they weren't at fault for Danni's upbringing. Regina could see their influence in her behavior. She had to admit that Danni had four mothers. But, this was different. She would have cared as much if Ruby or Belle had claimed her as a daughter, but this Latina friend calling her " _mija"_ almost set her off.

" _Mija_ ," Santana stated again a little louder as her eyes fluttered a little more fully.

 _"_ _¡_ _Cómo se atreve a hablar con ella de esa manera! **[1]** "_ Regina almost hissed as she got closer to the bed and Danni.

Brittany reached for Regina's hand. The Queen immediately deflated. She looked at the blond Empath. Quinn stepped around to Regina's side. She reached out and took her hand, calming the fiery queen even more.

"Give her time, Majesty," Quinn told her. "She has a way about her with Danni. We don't understand it. We don't question it. There is something about Santana's voice and her demeanor that Danni responds to when she is beyond our comfort. It's always been that way. It's one of the reasons that we let Santana handle all our legal work."

"And, what's that, Little One?" Regina asked.

"Because she is a force to be reckoned with," Brittany replied.

Regina looked at Brittany's hand that was still on her, and then cocked an eyebrow when she met the Empath's bright blue eyes. Brittany didn't move her hand. Instead she cocked an eyebrow back at her. Regina closed her eyes and then opened them slowly.

Brittany squeezed her arm. Regina turned her attention back to the bed and waited. She was calmer. She didn't know if it was because of Brittany, Quinn or Emma, or if in fact she had actually calmed down on her own due to what they told her. She knew she really didn't care as long Santana, wounded or not, could get Danni to open her eye.

" _Mija?"_

 _"Si,"_ a soft voice answered.

Everyone in the room's head snapped to the bed. They all had goofy grins on their faces. Santana brushed her hand across her face once more. Danni began to actually wake from her fever as her eyes fluttered and her body stirred under the covers. Santana gave her a big smile as she opened her eyes and looked up at her.

"San?"

" _Si, mija,"_ Santana replied.

"What are…what happened?"

"It's not important, _mija._ What's important is that you are awake. You've given us quiet a fit."

"So, we are really in the Enchanted Forest?" she asked as she caught sight of Regina and Emma.

"Yes, _mija,_ we are. Your moms have been worried about you. We all have," San told her.

"I'm thirsty," Danni told her.

"I know, Danni. I know. We'll get you some water, okay? First, tell me how you feel," Santana urged her as she reached behind her blindly expecting someone to hand her a glass of water.

When the glass didn't hit her hand immediately, she snapped her fingers. Quinn understood the gesture and motioned to Regina. Brittany just nodded at the queen, who created a glass of water in Santana's hand. She pulled it back across her hip, slowly, making sure to avoid her scar.

"I feel better, but I have this bitter taste in my mouth. Can I have some water please? I really feel drained and I want to get rid of this taste in my mouth," Danni stated.

Santana handed her the glass of water and watched her down it in one go. She started to sit up, but started to catch a cramp in the injured hip. She stopped moving, but didn't so any pain to them. She just waited to see what Danni was going to do.

"How long?"

"How long what, _mija?_ " Santana asked.

"How long was I out?"

"A week," Brittany told her.

Danni's dark brown eyes scanned the room to find those of her friend, the dancing Empath. When she saw the icy sapphire orbs watching her, she tried to sit up a little more in the bed. She allowed Santana to help her, but she continued to watch everyone in the room. Her eyes darted from Brittany to Quinn to Rachel. When she met Rachel's eyes, she saw that they were swimming with emotion and the young woman looked to be on the edge of tears.

" _Du zalst nisht veynen, kleyn Rkhl. Ikh bin fayn. Kumen zen far zikh. **[2]** " _

" _Ikh kenene nisht helfn es. Ir geven zeyer krank. Ir hat nisht afilu viln mir tsu zingen tsu ir, **[3]** "_ Rachel told her as she moved closer to the bed and took Danni's free hand.

" _Keynmol! Ikh vet always viln meyn fir mlakhim tsu zingen far mir. Deyn kul makht mire tsufridn aun halt mir royk, **[4]** "_ Danni told her squeezing her hand.

"Okay, _mija,_ you need to spend time with your moms. We'll go," Santana told her and then gave her a look that dared her to defy her.

Danni nodded in ascension and watched as the injure Wolf rolled onto her back to work her way off the bed. When she got into a seated position, both Quinn and Brittany helped her up. The pain, obvious in her movements, didn't go unnoticed by Danni. Her eyes tracked her as they started to walk towards the door. When Santana stopped to say something to Will, Danni perked up and cut her off instead.

"Santana Maribel Lopez, why are you limping!" Danni demanded.

San smiled at the woman. She turned around more fully and faced her properly. Brittany and Quinn were standing behind her, just in case. Rachel stepped around them and was at Santana's side, arm at the ready to steady her. San took two small steps forward.

"I had a very minor run in with a knight. Nothing to worry yourself over. I'm fine. Your Mom fixed me up right as soon as I got back," Santana replied with a huge smirk. "You know that nothing keeps me down for long. I am just sorry that I couldn't go all Lima Heights on him."

Danni let out a weak laugh, but nodded at her. Santana took that to mean that they could leave. She knew that Danni would bring it up later and she didn't care. Right now, the Unholy Trinity and Berry needed to talk. Too much had gone unsaid between them and they needed to air it out before it destroyed them all. And, Santana knew just how to make that happen.

She sat outside the Fox Theatre in Atlanta and waited just outside the stage door. She knew that the show was over and the cast would be leaving soon. She wondered how her young niece would react by seeing her. But, just as she promised her years ago, she'd been to ever show that she had ever done. Business had kept her away from Broadway for too long and now that her niece was in the travelling shows for the summer, she made the time to see her while she was in Atlanta on business.

The stage door opened and a few of the actors and crew began to filter out. She smiled softly at them as she got out of the car. She recognized a few of them from other shows that she had done back in New York. They were probably surprised to see her there. It wasn't often that someone was waiting outside like that for someone at the show unless they were paparazzi.

"Can I help you?" one of the more beefy men asked her as he walked by.

"I'm just here to surprise my niece. She didn't know I was in town. I usually catch her in New York, but I missed the opening this time. But, I sure all that is boring to you, sir. I am just waiting on Shelby," she replied with a thick accent.

"You're Shelby's aunt?"

"Yes, I am," she replied.

Just then Shelby exited the theatre and saw her. She walked over to the gathering crowd and hoped that no one would suspect anything. She didn't have time to make everyone understand. Hell, she didn't understand it all and Nicola was her aunt.

"Aunt Nick?!" Shelby exclaimed as she crossed the street.

"Shelby, darling," she replied.

"What are you doing here?"

"I came to see you. I missed you in New York, but I heard you were touring. I had business, so I saw the show tonight," the woman explained.

"You good here, Shelby?" the burly man asked, still unsure whether or not he believed the woman before him was really Shelby's aunt.

"Yes, Gus, I am fine. This is my Aunt Nicola. She is away on business a lot and well, you heard the rest. I'll be perfectly fine."

Gus wasn't exactly sure about Shelby's explanation. He pulled her away and made Shelby pull out pictures to prove that Nicola was really her aunt. He walked away muttering under his breath, but gave Nicola a mumbled apology as he walked away towards his vehicle.

Once everyone was gone, Shelby looked at her and waited for an explanation. When one didn't seem more forth coming, Shelby cocked an eyebrow at her and gave her a look. Nicola still didn't speak. She was waiting on Shelby.

"Should we take this elsewhere?" Shelby asked her.

"Unless you want family business being discussed out in the open in an alley behind a theatre, yes," Nicola told her.

"There's a little diner up the way that we can go to. Do you want to follow me or meet me there? Your choice," Shelby told her.

"Just tell me the name," Nicola stated.

Shelby told her the name of the diner and walked away. She wasn't sure what to make of the fact that her aunt had shown up in Atlanta without any prior contact, but she also wasn't that worried. She thought about Rachel again. She hadn't heard from her in weeks and she doubted that Nicola knew where she was. She thought that Nicola could help her. She shook her head as she made her way to the car.

She pulled out her cell and called Beth's sitter. She was asleep and well. Puck would be there tomorrow to collect her for her summer trip with him back to Lima. She idly wondered if Puck had heard from Rachel or Quinn.

The more she thought about it, the more she realized that she hadn't heard from Quinn either. They had been steadily planning a summer trip with Rachel and her fathers. It was going to be a big deal. They would all meet in Lima and then go somewhere off the wall. Last year, it had been a photographic trip through Switzerland and Austria. It had been Rachel's pick from Quinn's list, and it was only because of the Van Trapps. This year was supposed to a trip to Alaska and the Pacific Northwest. Quinn picked it because she wanted to photograph the land, the wildlife and the people, and for once, Rachel couldn't tell her "no."

"So, want to tell me what's brought you here?" Shelby asked as Nicola sat down in the booth across from her, their eyes meeting and almost warring each other for information.

"I just got back from Petra."

"Again?" Shelby asked.

"Seems some people don't when to leave enough alone. I thought that I had scared off enough archaeologists, but I guess I was wrong. You would think that being where it is, most people wouldn't want to visit. But, no, it has all that wonderful architecture. Please. Gag me with a spoon. Why can't people leave sacred areas alone?"

"Because we are still trying to define religions and our meaning as man," Shelby offered.

"Well do it somewhere else."

"They got to close to the fissure?"

"Yes."

"Who called you?"

"The Dragon," Nicola answered.

"And?"

"I got there in time, but…. It is getting harder. I need to find a way to close it or hide it better."

"What would really happen if they found it, Aunt Nick?"

"Have you not watched the movies? They would keep digging, looking for answers that they are ready to deal with, and they would destroy lives in their pursuit. It isn't just me I am worried about. The people of this world aren't ready for that kind of power. You've all proven it time and time again with your wars," Nicola stated.

"True."

"But, that is nothing for you to worry about. I came straight here because I've been checking up on the family. I was wondering when you would have actually told me, but for you to have waited this long hurts. I can't believe you didn't tell me about her," Nicola said.

"Rachel?"

"No, not Rachel. I know about Rachel. We talked about Rachel. I've checked on her enough. Made a small trust fund for her that her fathers think came from some old Aunt Nitzchiya Adhom. Trust me, they won't be looking at you or me for that either. It's fine."

"She can't know about you."

"She doesn't," Nicola replied quickly. "I've done as you asked, but I've still be watching out for her. She is still part of the family and I've sworn to protect it."

"That doesn't mean the same here. It doesn't mean the same thing for us, Aunt Nick. She wouldn't understand it all if you told her. Hell, I still don't."

"Is that why you didn't tell me about the newest edition?" Nicola asked.

"Newest edition?"

"To your family?"

"Beth?"

"Yes, Beth. She is quite sweet, but very blond. She isn't yours by blood, but she bears your name. Why? Why would you bring someone else child into your life when you gave up your own? Does Rachel know about her?"

"Yes, she does. I don't have time to explain it all to you and it isn't your business. Beth will never have need of you. She is by law Rachel's younger sister and that is how they behave in public. The only strangeness in their relationship is that she is married to Quinn, Beth's birth mother. We've worked it out. We function as one big misguided family. There is no need for any of your interventions," Shelby added.

"She doesn't know?"

"No, I haven't told either of them who you are or what you are."

"And, the wee one doesn't know that she is touched too?"

"What the Hell is that supposed to mean?" Shelby asked.

"She is the daughter of one from my land. I can smell it on you. And, an old one at that, her line is pure and magical. I wouldn't be surprised if she doesn't start showing some sort of prodigy soon. You won't be able to hide that, Shelby. They will see it. They will know she is special."

"She is smart, like her mother. She is beautiful, like her mother. And, she is rebellious, like both her parents. They will see nothing more than a gifted girl who has been given the best and told that she can do anything she wants," Shelby replied.

"It will manifest. The time will come and then you will need me again. I know. Magic is coming and we can't keep it at bay. Something will happen. You'll see," Nicola answered.

"What do you know?"

"Nothing more than I've said," Nicola stated.

"Do you know where Rachel and Quinn are?" Shelby questioned.

"You don't?"

"They haven't responded to me in two weeks. Normally, I wouldn't be bothered by this because they would be producing a show, but their last showed closed almost a month ago. I know that they are adults and allowed to be free to enjoy themselves, but they both love Beth. They wouldn't leave Beth like that unless something happened," Shelby explained.

"And, you didn't call me?"

"I didn't think anything was wrong until you showed up tonight."

Nicola shook her head. She knew that Shelby had never taken her seriously. Not twenty years ago when she watched her break down after she gave away Rachel. Not the five years before that when Nicola showed up on her doorstep the day of her father's funeral. No, Shelby had never honestly believed until she saw her in the balcony of Rachel's first Broadway show, clapping and cheering like a wild fan of the girl. She knew that Nicola was proud of the young woman, but she was still upset that she Rachel didn't know the whole truth.

Nicola rummaged through her bag. It was a worn out satchel, knapsack-style bag that had definitely seen better days, but the leather was well cared for and barely scared. It was dusty and dirty, a testament to her days in Petra. She kept digging until she found it. A small piece of mirror, unframed, but not quite a large shard, enough to cut you, but small enough not to really worry about it actually happening.

"What are you doing?" Shelby hissed the question.

"Looking for your daughter," Nicola stated as she dropped the glass piece on the table.

It swirled and pictures flew across the glass. Then like walking thru a haze into a clearing a picture showed up plainly and clearly. It was a road sign, green with white lettering, on a darkened two lane blacktop road. There were trees on either side, like a dense forest. The road looked damp like after a rain and it seemed to have a line of bright, neon orange marking paint across it when there were no other markers.

Shelby leaned across the table and looked into the glass. She studied the picture and then looked up into Nicola's blue hazel eyes. She saw the woman get tight lipped, but that was the only real change in her demeanor.

"Do you know that place?" Shelby asked her.

"Storybrooke? No, I don't. I've never heard of it," she stated as she was quickly searching on her phone for the name as well.

"Why do you look so mad, then?"

"Google doesn't know it either," Nicola answered in a huff as she dodged Shelby's question.

"How are you going to find it, then?"

"Magic?"

"Aunt Nick…"

She picked up the mirror and breathed across it. The image faded away. She then brought it close to her lips and spoke to it. Shelby watched in horror and hoped that no one else from the diner would know what she was doing. A few minutes later, she pulled the piece back and stared at it again. Another picture formed and her eyes widen, in more than one emotion.

"So?" Shelby asked.

"Rachel has a lot of explaining to do."

"Huh?"

"She's gone home, Shelby."

"To Lima?"

"No, to the Enchanted Forest…"

* * *

[1] Spanish: "Don't you dare talk to her like that."

[2] Yiddish for "Don't cry, Little Rachel. I am fine. Come see for yourself."

[3] Yiddish for "I can't help it. You were really sick. You didn't even want me to sing to you."

[4] Yiddish for "Never! I will always want my four angels to sing for me. Your voice makes me happy and keeps me calm."


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter 24**

Danni sat up the bed and looked at her mothers. She could see the hurt in her mothers' eyes. She hadn't meant to hurt them, but she knew that they needed to talk…about a lot of things. She reached out again and Regina gave her another glass of water.

"I'm sorry that I worried you, Mom, Ma. I just have so much going on in my head sometimes that… Well, I'm sorry," Danni told them.

"You couldn't talk to us?" Regina asked.

"I…it's hard to explain."

"Try," Emma stated.

"You all know that Rachel took me in after I saved her. I left them in order to try to find peace. I knew that I needed to get away from magic. It was tearing me apart. All the good and all the darkness…I was so blinded by my need to protect you from the darkness, I didn't realize what I was really doing was running."

"How did you figure that out?" Will questioned.

"Santana," she said simply.

"The Wolf helped you?" Regina asked.

"I didn't know that she was a wolf. She definitely didn't, either. She and Quinn found me and made me realize that I hurt Rachel. I went back to ask for her forgiveness. Once I had it, she wouldn't let me leave without telling her where I was going. I couldn't exactly tell her about Storybrooke. So, I lied. It was easy and they believed me."

"Where did you go?"

"I went back to Storybrooke. I needed to get the magic out of my system. I needed to find a way to find a way to deal with all the anger I had inside," Danni stated.

"And were we…" Regina started.

"No, you weren't. You'd already come back. So, I was alone…completely alone. I blew up, literally. I wrecked the town several times over. Hell, I even burnt down the mansion a few times. But, every morning, it was back and everything was fine again. It was like the Curse was trying to reassert itself. I looked for the point of magic origins and kept going from the library to the well," Danni told them.

"And what did you find, darling?" Regina asked her.

"Anger was easy. Magic is part of me and I have to learn to use both the good and the bad. I had to find a balance between my need for anger and my need for love. I read and read and read your journals. And, then I realized that I needed a family. I needed something to help me stay grounded. I learned that once you got Henry you began to change. I could see it in your writing. I am sure that if the town people could have noticed outside of the Curse, they would have seen it, too. But, the most dramatic change was when you learned you loved Ma," Danni told her.

Emma reached out for Regina's hand. They completed each other. They didn't know what to say to their daughter. She had grown up without them and then fled before they could try to make everything right for her; their world turned upside down. Danni had become the Dark One. She killed a man. She tried to sever True Love's bond.

"You gave up everything to make sure that Remy had a better life than you did," Emma said.

"I tried."

"You failed?" Regina asked.

"I couldn't stay away. I found a fissure in the caverns under the library. I used it, several times."

"To do what?" Regina questioned.

Danni smiled at her mother. She was sure that Regina was about to freak out with her story, but she knew they deserved to know. She still wasn't sure that Remy hadn't told them, but the look in Regina's eyes told her otherwise.

"I went to other realms, other times. I spoke with sages, gurus, other sorcerers, theologians, and intellectuals. But, no matter where I went, I missed home."

"Home?" Emma stated.

"My home didn't exist anymore. I'd destroyed it when I took on the Darkness. I made things better, but for some reason, you all ended up here. I think that was Fate. But, I am not sure that I believe in it. I needed to make sure that Remy was cared for. I needed to know that it wasn't in vain," Danni told them.

"That's when you came back with Blue?" Will inquired.

"Yes. When I looked into Remy's eyes, I knew that she was happy. I knew that she had you both. I was honestly jealous, but I wasn't going to let her suffer. I needed to make sure that she had everything that I didn't. I don't mean just having you, Mom, or you, Ma. I meant everything… She needed to have a kingdom, a family, friends, and a life that she could be proud of. She didn't need to be the Survivor. She needed to just be the daughter of the Savior and the Reformed Queen," Danni explained.

"You've come back before?" Emma asked.

"Yes."

"And, you never sought us out?" Will inquired.

"No."

"Why?" Regina questioned with pain lacing her voice.

"I came back for Remy, not for myself. It would have been selfish of me to seek you out. I always made sure that no one would recognize me. Before I released you all from the spell, I would just come and go as I pleased. No one knew who I was. I would sneak into the castle late at night and go see Remy."

"What?" Will exclaimed.

"She'd always let me in. She knew who I was because she wasn't effected by the spell. I never hid my identity from her. Maybe that was a little selfish of me, but she understood on some level. She's never called me anything other than Coraline and somehow I am her older sister. She figured that losing me was too traumatic for everyone, so you never spoke of me. I never corrected her on this. She knew I had magic and she believed that I was magically coming back to take care of her. Which in a sense, I was. For a while, I was her special friend and I taught her things about the both of you. We would laugh and we would play in her rooms, but always before morning, I would put her to bed and leave."

"And, she never told us," Emma whispered.

"I think that she was afraid to hurt you. She knew that you'd been through a lot. She knew why Red and Belle named their daughter Danielle Coraline. The only person that she could talk to about the Legend of Coraline was Belle, and that was because she wrote the book about me. It is a small tome that was hidden in the library, but it was the actual history of me. Anyone who read it, thought it to be a prophecy or just a mythological story. No one ever gave it enough credence to believe that it was true and that someone had really lived through it all. No one cared that Dark One was gone and that she had suffered to keep them safe. No one needed to care, because no one really knew the fate of Rumple. All anyone knew was that Emma, the Savior, had destroyed the Dark One and the dagger. Regina, the mighty Reformed Evil Queen, had saved her lover, Emma, from the fate of being the Dark One with True Love's kiss. The Dark One was gone and Love was celebrated. That was all they needed to know. Who am I to take that from them? Who am I to come back and destroy a happier world than I had? What would that make me? I am the Dark One, but I am also the child of True Love. I chose Love," Danni replied.

"But, you're our daughter," Emma tried to argue.

"Would you have me destroy the relative happiness of the realm just so I was in your lives?"

"YES!" Regina answered.

"And, that is why I never came to find you."

"But, if you had come, I am sure that we would have found a way to keep you close. We're your parents. It is our job to take care of you," Emma stated.

"Really? Coming from you that's rich, Ma. Have you ever let your parents parent you?" Danni asked with a little bit of venom.

"That's different."

"How?"

"Well, umm…"

"Exactly, it isn't. I didn't want to disrupt your lives. You have me, well a form of me, in Remy. You didn't the broken and battered version of me haunting the castle."

"I would have liked to have seen you. I would have liked to have had the choice. I may not agree with your actions, even if I understand them, but even when we did know who you were, you still left us. You gave us no choice," Regina replied.

"I had to," Danni answered.

"Why?" Will asked as she started pacing at the foot of the bed.

"Because I had become the Dark One. I was not myself. I wanted so much…and I had so much power that I couldn't control it. I have lived many lifetimes since I left here. And, I don't mean that figuratively. I am a lot older than I look. When I came back to Storybrooke, when I went through the time portal to get there, I was barely twenty-five. When I 'died' I was still in my mid-twenties. When I came back to you in the Enchanted Forest, I was barely fifty. I know, don't look it, right? But, then after everything with George, I knew that I had to find a way to temper myself. It wasn't easy. I knew it wouldn't be. But, I also knew that I couldn't subject you to that. It was torturous enough on myself. I didn't want you to see that kind of pain."

"I have seen it," Regina stated. "I lived it, remember? I know what evil is and how easy it is."

"Not like this, you haven't. You've been tempted. I know. It is so very easy to give in to that temptation and I have much respect for you, Mom, because you've learned not to give in unless it is the only way. That is why you two complement each other so well. You temper each other."

"But?" Emma asked.

"I didn't have that. I did, but I didn't. I never had someone stand up for me and tell me that everything would work itself out. I had to fight for everything I ever had. I had to hide my true identity to survive. I learned real early that not everyone has your best interest at heart. But, most of all, I had to learn who I really was. I couldn't let the names of my parents define me. I had never been my own person. I was always the Survivor, the Swan Princess, the future heir of a non-existent throne. Never once was I just Remy Aurora Swan. I was Coraline French, until I was Coraline Swan-Mills, until I was just Coraline, the Dark One. I never learned to be anything other than what I was made to be. I never had the freedom to learn to be anything else. I was a fighter and sorcerer. I was taught to lead and make decisions long before I understood what my training was really for. I never learned what it meant to be me."

"Danni…."

"No, I am not blaming you for that. I can't. You both did what you had to do in order to protect the kingdom, the throne and me. I can't even find fault with Red and Belle. They were the ones who tried to help me restore the kingdom and protected my identity until I was of an age to do something with it. I grew up with four mothers and I'm proud of that, but circumstances took them all from me. Some consequences were of my own creation and I admit that fully, but I cannot and will not sit here and apologize for trying to become something better than I was."

"We would have helped you," Will stated.

"How?"

"I love you," Will countered, hoping that she conveyed enough emotion with her words.

"I love you, too, Will. I never stopped, but that doesn't mean that it would have stopped me. I have done some horrible things. I have laid waste to entire realms just because I could. I am not proud of that. I have sought solace in the arms of others, but I never stopped trying to find my way back to the light and back to love," Danni stated.

Regina hung her head. She knew that journey. It was a hard journey and damn near impossible when you were doing it alone. Thankfully when she started down the road of redemption she had both Emma and Henry to help guide her along. She wanted to cry because she knew that Danni had done it all alone.

"I'm sorry," Regina breathed out.

Danni met her eyes. They shared a look. And, when Regina reached out for her this time, Danni didn't back away. She let her mother take her hand. She gave her a gentle squeeze.

"I am not trying to guilt trip you. I wanted you to know. I needed to not be here. I needed to find my own way. Was it hard? Hell yeah, it was. Was I lonely? Yes. But, I couldn't put you through the horrors that I went through. It wasn't fair to you, any of you," Danni told them.

"I get that," Regina replied.

"But, you really don't, Mom. Trust me, you don't. I think that you might have some understanding, but you don't the full extent of the craziness that I created or caused. I have done so many horrible things that if there really was a Hell that I have a first class ticket there."

"I don't believe that," Emma stated.

"Believe it or not, it doesn't matter. I can't make you understand what I've done. But, the stories of the Evil Queen pale in comparison to some of things that I have done. I am the gods damned Dark One and you still don't want to believe that. I get it. I am your daughter and you don't want to believe that I could become the ultimate evil in the world, but I can."

"I am not saying that you don't have the capability, Danni. I know that you do. I do, too. What I am saying is that you don't seem like that person now. You've found something to hold on to and you've used it to come home."

"I am not home," Danni said with a certain finality in her voice.

She got out of the bed, then. She could no longer be in it. She needed to be free. She needed to roam. She needed the possibility of life without the pain and suffering that being the Dark One caused. She knew that she couldn't get it in Fairy Tale Land.

"What do you mean by that?" Regina asked, an edge in her voice.

"I can't stay here."

"Why not?" Emma questioned.

"The temptations are too great here. Plus, you've got Remy to think about. She knows that we are related but not to an extent that it could cause any damage to her psyche. She doesn't need to grow up worrying about me. She needs to forge her own path in this world, in this realm. She needs to the Swan Princess, not me."

"Where would you go?" Regina inquired.

"Probably back to Storybrooke or back to New York. I don't know. I don't want to hurt you, but my life is good there. I have friends. I have purpose. I have a life that I can be proud of without having to worry about if I going to kill someone just because I don't like what they said about me or my plays in the paper."

"They've kept you grounded," Will stated.

"They have, all four of them. They each have a little bit of you in them. I've created my own little family with them. We've taken New York theatre scene on and have become victorious. I am happy there. Can't that be enough for you?"

"Yes," Regina told her, as she gripped Emma's arm.

"Mom, Ma, look. I'm sorry about all of this, but I can't stay. I'm not comfortable here. My skin crawls and the thoughts I have…they are deplorable."

"Was it bad in Storybrooke?" Regina asked her as if it was the most important question ever.

"What do you mean?"

"Did you feel like that in Storybrooke?" Regina rephrased her question.

"No."

"Then, you'll go back there?"

"I might. I mean, I'll have to end up there at some point, but I don't know if that is where I will stay. I can't promise you that I'd stay there."

"There is no magic in New York to tempt you," Emma stated.

"Exactly. Or, what is there is so minute that it is negligible. I don't know how to explain it."

"You don't have to," Emma told her as she pushed away from Regina and walked towards her.

"I feel like I'm failing you again," Danni replied.

"You haven't failed anyone, Danni," Emma said as she gathered Danni into an embrace.

Danni didn't break away from the hug. Instead she fell into her mother's embrace. It invoked emotions that she had tried to keep buried for so long, but now, in her mother's arms, she couldn't stop the out pouring love between them. Regina saw her daughter's tears and joined the embrace, hugging both her wife and her daughter. Danni just cried harder. She couldn't help herself. This…this was all she ever wanted.

"If you want to go, we'll let you," Regina whispered in her ear. "We just want to hear from you. I know that you feel like you have to prove yourself to us, but you don't. You are still our daughter, regardless of the time line and what you've changed or become. You will always be my Coraline."

Regina and Emma slowly let her go. The backed away from her, but were still within arm's reach if she needed them. She looked over at Will. She knew that they would need to talk, but now wasn't the time. She needed her mothers. She'd always needed her mothers. She needed to fix things with them.

"Will…"

"I understand, Princess," Wilhelmina stated looking into her dark eyes before turning to Emma and Regina. "Majesty, Your Highness, I'll take my leave for now. I shall be in the armory if you have need of me. Good evening, Majesties, Princess."

Will bowed and clicked her heels together before leaving. Emma grabbed Danni before she fell over. She knew that things hurt between them, but she also knew that they would talk about things later. Now, though Danni needed to get things off her chest with her mothers.

"Will you sit and talk with us?" Regina asked.

"Yes."

"Is there anything that you want to ask us?" Emma questioned.

"No."

"Is there anything you need?" Regina inquired.

"Not that I can think of," Danni answered.

They were sitting at the table in her personal room in the suite. Regina finally looked around and saw that she had magically redecorated the suite to be more to her tastes. She saw that it more closely resembled the houses and rooms in Storybrooke.

"Danni…"

"Yes, Mom?" she replied as she turned to face Regina more properly.

"Why does Santana call you _mija_?"

"It is a very long story."

"I think that we have the time," Emma stated.

"She had some issues a few years back, things that she didn't tell Brittany. I don't know why she told me, but she did. She took care of me when I came back, before Rachel and Quinn knew that I was back in New York. I was living on my own. I had my own place and I was hiding. Rachel had just taken over as Elphaba in 'Wicked.' Santana found me beyond drunk just outside a bar on Broadway. She was leaving a meeting with some producers about Rachel's possible next project. I know that may not seem like it matters, but Rachel was always looking forward. She doesn't know how to settle."

"But, you didn't tell her that you were back in New York."

"No, I didn't. I couldn't. I wasn't in good shape. I didn't want her to see me like that. I was beyond lost. I didn't have a clue what I was doing or where I was going. I would have dragged them all down with me. Santana could see that. She is good at seeing what others don't, and I don't mean like Brittany does. Brittany does things on a completely different level."

"We're they together then?" Emma asked her.

"No and yes. They were married, but Brittany was out on tour. There was a lot going on with the both of them, so they weren't in New York together very often. She wasn't in a good place and she needed someone. I was there. I filled the void as she filled mine," Danni replied.

"What void?" Regina asked.

"She and Brittany were trying to have a child. Santana agreed to carry since she had the more stable job and would be in one place long enough to see it completely through. Being on tour and pregnant wouldn't be conducive to having a child. Brittany knew that she'd gone to the doctor to try. She never knew that it took because Santana lost the baby. She tried again and again and every time she lost the baby. The doctors couldn't figure out why."

"Do you think that it is because she's a Wolf?" Emma asked.

"I don't know, but I doubt it. Her mother and her grandmother before her bore with no issue. I went with her to three different specialists to no avail. She couldn't carry to term. She would always lose around fifteen weeks."

"And, Brittany doesn't know?" Regina questioned.

"She didn't want to break her heart. Brittany knew that she tried, but she thinks that it never took. They had just gotten to a point where Brittany was going to try to have child. They haven't told Quinn or Rachel yet. But because I needed someone to coddle me and treat me like a child, she needed someone that would give her the support to get through losing her children. _Mija_ became a nickname that was said in jest one drunk afternoon when called her _Mami_ because of how she was treating me. When we finally all came together, Santana would only call me _mija_ when I was really sick and drunk. She was the only one that I would listen to in that state. She doesn't mean anything by it and in a way, it reminded me of you. In my drunken states, I could have my mother again. It was all fantasy, but that is what I am. I am a fantastical character from a story that will be never written. I am fiction and for brief moments I could find comfort in that fiction. Please don't be angry with her for that. She..."

"I'll talk to her later, Danni. Now, that I know, I am not so angry about it. I took it as a slight, but even Brittany knew more than I did. I was upset," Regina answered.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry about it, Danni. Just talk to us. Tell us everything, anything. Just don't shut us out."

"I'm trying, but..."

"It's hard. I know from experience. But, just remember that we love you, too," Emma told her.


	25. Chapter 25

**Chapter 25**

Snow made Charming ride out with her and Neal as soon as she got the raven from Emma. She was happy to know that granddaughter had come back, but she was also worried. Emma's words weren't happy. They were strange and worrisome. It was the main reason that she decided to ride out so quickly. She figured that her daughter needed her. She had no doubt in her mind that Regina couldn't handle the situation, but there was something in the way that Emma told her that Coraline was back in the Enchanted Forest that tugged on Snow.

They'd arrived that morning, much to Regina's surprise. Snow and company had been greeted warmly and shown to their suites in the castle. Regina wasted no time in helping them get settled. Charming and Neal decided to go check on Will and the other knights. Snow was talking to Regina in the war room, catching up on castle gossip when a new blonde entered the room. They were gossiping over maps of Ulfland and the boarders of their kingdoms.

Snow had heard to the Silver Army, but she'd paid no attention to the rumors because they seemed so far away. Upon hearing that they were in Ulfland and shooting Wolves, Snow became concerned. She was raise a small force and send them to the boarders for patrol and to leave word that any refugee Wolves were welcome in the Summerlands. Regina agreed with her effort and did the same for the Winterlands.

"Hello, Quinn," Regina addressed her.

Snow watched their interaction. They seemed familiar, but not at the same time. There was an uneasiness between them, but Snow couldn't understand the strain between them. She looked from the blonde's soulful hazel-green eyes to Regina's dark eyes.

"Sorry, Snow. This is new knight for my kingdom and friend of Danni. Ser Lucy Quinn Fabray of Lima, Ohio and New York, High Elf of the Winterlands, I would like you to introduce you to Queen Snow White of the Summerlands," Regina stated giving them both formal introductions.

"Majesty," Quinn replied, bowing deeply.

"High Elf from Ohio? Last time I checked, Ohio wasn't filled with magic. How did a High Elf end up in Ohio before coming here?" Snow asked.

Quinn laughed. She was still trying to coming terms with finding out that she was a descendent of some really well known High Elves. She had been doing research with Regina into all their backgrounds since Danni had awoken.

"I am not sure that I can give you an answer that would appease you, Highness. It seems my family crossed realms many generations ago. I am the youngest in my family and I never knew that I was anything other than who I was told I was growing up. I am just as surprised as you are. Honestly, I believe that Wilhelmina was the only one that had any clue as to our origins."

"Will?"

"Yes," Quinn answered.

"Is there something that you needed, Quinn?" Regina asked her.

"I am supposed to be meeting Danni at the armory, but she wasn't there. I was wondering if you knew where she might be. I've even checked the stables. Her horse was there, so I don't believe that she's gone for a ride," Quinn replied.

"So, not at the stable or the armory, have you checked the library?"

"Yes, my Queen, Belle was the only one there. And, I didn't want to disturb her. She was still researching Red's condition and the best way to handle it. She was also trying to figure the origins of the Silver Army. She's been searching for the markings that Santana and I drew out for her," Quinn explained.

"Hmm, the only other place I can think she might be would be the archery fields. She reminds me of Emma when she does that. They both like to beat out their frustrations. If I was you, I'd get your quiver and head out there. I'm sure that I saw Emma heading that way a few hours ago. You should go join them. I am sure that they would love to have someone else to compete against. With your new found abilities and eagle eyes, I am sure that you can give them a run for their money. Have fun, darling. Explore your abilities," Regina told her.

Quinn smiled and bowed. She backed a few steps away before turning and leaving. Snow watched the younger woman and then turned back to Regina. She was just giving Snow a smirk.

"Who is she?"

"A friend of Danni's."

"Is Danni what Coraline is going by here?" Snow asked.

"She's changed her name again as to not confuse the people and Remy. She's adopted the name of Danielle Gallia. Belle has informed me that it is her way of changing the name that she used for the longest time in her life. Gallia is another name for French. So in essence, she is still our Coraline, but because Belle and Red named their daughter Danielle Coraline in her honor, she goes by Danni. It was one of the few things that kept her feeling close to home in New York."

Snow just nodded. She understood on some level. She was both Mary Margaret and Snow. She could understand why Coraline would take the name of Danni.

"Danni? I like it. So how have things been? Is she…"

"No, she is quiet and withdrawn. We've tried talking to her. We've tried doing things with her, but she retreats. She's lived without magic for a few years and she seems happier for it."

"Really?" Snow asked obviously worried for her granddaughter.

"She does, but I think it because she can't give into the temptation of using her powers for getting her way. Her moral compass and upbringing are still at war with the darkness that the powers of the Dark One give her. She has gone down a dark path and she is afraid. I understand her pain, but she tells me that I don't. I've tried to talk with her about things that I've done, but she just brushes it off. All of it, like it was nothing," Regina told her.

"What does that mean?"

"She's told us that she is closer to four hundred years old. And, unfortunately, I'm inclined to believe her. There is a sadness that she can't seem to shake and she believes that she has to prove herself to us. Emma's tried to explaining to her that we will love her regardless because she is our daughter, but she doesn't feel worthy. She told me that she has laid waste to entire realms just because she had the power do so. She has Emma's conscience with my wrath and it is a very dangerous combination for her. She learned to cope in New York with her friends, but being here…. I'm afraid that she is tempted to let loose and she is holding on to that piece so tightly that when the coil breaks, we will all be in trouble. I don't know what to do but allow her to do the things that she knows will help her," Regina stated as she dropped her quill and pushed the parchments and maps in front of her away.

"You knighted her companions?"

"I really didn't have a choice. Will would have done it or Danni would have, especially after their hunt to get us a herb that brought Danni back to us. Don't ask. It's a long story."

"When is it not a long story with us?" Snow asked her with a little mirth.

"True, but this was different Snow. They rallied to save her without thought or worry. They dawned armor and rode out into a world they didn't know or understand. They mounted up and rode away, following Will out into the unknown just because their friend was sick and needed there help. There was no thought in their action. It was all passion and loyalty. And, it almost cost Santana her life. I can never repay them for that," Regina told her.

"But, Quinn?"

"She is still trying to figure out what it means to be an elf. They aren't from here and some of them are taking it harder than others. She reminds me of Emma just after the Curse broke. She wants to believe, but she can't because it wasn't what she was taught. She has two worlds worth of information swirling in that intelligent brain of hers and her heart can't reconcile which one is the truth. I think that the only reason that she is still here is because Danni is."

"Do they have a history that Will should be worried about?" Snow asked, seeing a look in Regina's eyes that she couldn't quite place.

"No, not like that. Nothing like that at all. They have a complicated history and it all revolves around Quinn's wife Rachel. But, that is their story to tell," Regina stated, shaking her head before continuing. "I've never had someone show me such loyalty until Emma, and even now, I still don't understand it beyond my depth of love for her. Emma demanded loyalty as soon as she waltzed into Storybrooke with Henry. Maybe is it part of the Charming charisma and charm. I don't know. But, Danni surrounded herself with four people who were willing to walk away from everything that they knew to help her. And, now, none of them are completely sure about their futures. I can't help but feel responsible for that. I didn't do more to keep Danni here. I wasn't the mother that she needed when she needed me. She's chosen four strangers over her family. And, now, we've ruin their lives, too."

"We haven't ruined anything. They chose to follow her and I am sure that she warned them against it. Emma fought us all tooth and nail until she fell through that portal trying to save you. It wasn't until she was back here that she realized that we were real and that her life might have been different had she actually grown up here. But circumstances being what they were, she didn't. She didn't have a great home life and I have no one to blame but myself for that. Sure, I can be mad at you for the Curse, but David and I were the ones that chose to put her in the wardrobe. We could have fought differently. Emma still might have broken the Curse even as a child. The problem with that, is that we don't know what would have happened had we done things a different way. We can never know. Danni, however, came back to right a wrong and she succeeded. But, in her victory, she found her own curse."

"I know that all too well, Snow," Regina hissed.

"I know that, Regina. But, listen. Your daughter left because she knew that Remy was growing inside of you. She knew that the baby to be, that her coming birth might be marred and tainted by the history that she knew, that she'd stopped, and she didn't want that gloom and doom hanging over her. It wouldn't have been fair to Remy and we all know it."

"But, she fled with no intention of really returning here," Regina countered.

"You can't fault her that. She did what she thought she had to do to protect our family. She'd saved her mothers, healed her young uncle and managed to make sure that she was still going to be born. All in all, the only thing that sucked was the Will was left alone after finally meeting her True Love. We still had each other," Snow explained.

"I know that."

"Then, you need to give her time. Trust me when I say that I know that it is hard. Emma and I were best friends until the Curse broke. Then I went from being her friend to being her mother. She clammed up. She wouldn't tell me things, because she'd already told me things. Now, imagine being Danni. She can't just walk away from her family because that it all she ever wanted, just like Emma. She still came back to help when Belle went for her. So what, she brought some friends with her, and those friends happen to be magical, too. She's here and she's chosen to be here. She might not stay, and that will be okay. She's an adult. You can't make up for the time you lost with her. You can't try and be something that you never were for her. All you can do is be there for her, tell her you love and support her decisions," Snow told her.

"When did you get so smart?" Regina asked, realizing that Snow was right.

"After a very long discussion one drunken night with Emma."

"I hate that my daughter almost shared a similar fate," Regina mused.

"She didn't have her parents, but she did have her aunts. I am glad that she had someone that loved her and cared for her when none of us were there for her. At least she had that. They never let her forget who she was. They gave her the life that we couldn't but we tried to anyway. We can never be sorry for that," Snow stated.

"No, we can't, but I can still regret it."

"No, you really can't, Regina."

"Why not?" Regina asked her turning on her.

"Because YOU weren't the one that did it. Sure, her mother sent her with her aunts to save her, but YOU aren't that Regina. She altered the time line completely. You regret something that you never actually did. She is still upset by events that will never happen. She can't help that, but you can. You can still be her mother and love her. You can still be there for her and give her the support that she so desperately wants. Be the person that she wants you to be and stop trying to make up for things that you never actually did," Snow told her.

"I don't know that I can stop thinking about her not having us…"

"I understand that, but you can't let it cloud your judgement. You have to step up and be her mother without being her mother. It will be hard. Trust me, I know. Emma and I had to talk more than once in order for us to come together. Sure almost losing each other helped us, but I was the one that had the most to learn not her. So do you. You have to remember that she is adult and you weren't there to raise her. You have no say in how she makes her decisions. She does everything based on what she knows," Snow explained.

"I know that."

"Then use that knowledge. Meet her somewhere in the middle. Find a way to talk to her alone. Talk to her. Don't be her mother, be her friend, and be someone that she is willing to come to if she has a problem. She hasn't had that. Find some common ground and you'll find out a lot more about your daughter. Trust me on that one," Snow told her as she stood up from the table.

"Where are you going?" Regina asked her.

"To the archery range," Snow answered.

"Why?"

"Because, I have a standing training session with my daughter every time I visit and I would hate to disappoint her. You are more than welcome to come as well, but I understand that you might have more to deal with here. Take care of the kingdom, Regina. But, never forget your family."

Regina watched her go. She knew that Snow and Emma had a relative strange relationship considering they were parent and child. She guessed that she never appreciated it, but now being in a similar situation, she was glad that Snow was actually on her side. She was one of the few that could actually help Regina see what she was possibly doing wrong and help her find a solution.

The more she thought about it, the more she realized how much she and Snow had gotten closer in the last few years. Sure, it had been for Emma's sake, but now she could see Snow as more than a child that couldn't keep a secret. They could have been great friends and possibly sisters if things had gone differently. She shook her head as a small smile crept across her face. She realized that she and Snow made a formidable team. She had to laugh at that. Mortal enemies that were stronger together than they were apart. Her mother would be rolling right now if she could see her. She could help the laughter that erupted. She knew Snow would find hilarious, too. They really had wasted so much time at each other throats that they couldn't appreciate each other, but now as co-queens of the realm, they were nearly unstoppable. She could only imagine what would have happened if she hadn't spent so much time going after her when they were younger.

She sifted through the parchments on the table. She grabbed a few and then headed for Ruby's quarters. She would give them to Belle and let her look over them. Belle had become a great friend and a powerful ally over the years. And, she knew it wasn't because of Red.

No, their friendship steeped from their love of Coraline, Danni, Remy, whatever name she was using. When Regina learned that Danni had given Belle some magic before, it explained a lot of the auburn-haired woman's new found talents. Regina had to give it to her for being discreet with her power. She was smart enough to keep it small enough that no one ever knew or suspected. She figured that Belle had seen what dark mark could create and she knew that she didn't want that in her life.

She found a new respect for Belle when she learned that she was the only one that kept her memories of what happened that fateful day in Storybrooke. Sure, she was angry with her for keeping the truth and helping Coraline hide her symbolic death, but over time she'd come to understand why she did it. She wasn't mad at Belle anymore. She was pissed at the misfortune that befell her daughter and the situation that had been created. If she could, she'd take the darkness from her. She knew also that Belle and Coraline wouldn't allow her to do it.

She knocked quickly on the door. Belle opened it and took the parchments. She met Regina's eyes and they had an unspoken conversation. They had come to understand each other with their micro-tells and non-verbal cues. They had learned to seek each other out and knew what needed to be done, even if the other didn't want to do it. No, they said volumes with their eyes and the only one that might have any inkling what they were thinking was dozing in the corner of Red's room where she'd taken up residence since announcing Red's pregnancy. For now, they were safe. Tomorrow, however, would be another battle in the library for more knowledge.

"I'll look them over and see. If we need to change courses, I'll alert the captain via raven. Is there anything else?" Belle asked her aloud.

"Maybe…I don't know, yet. Once I do, I'll come find you. I have an idea. It's a long shot, but it just might work. I just don't want to get anyone's hopes up."

"Finish doing whatever it is that you have to do. We'll meet in the library after dinner. I should have this done by then and any new strategies that I can think of based of this new information. Don't worry about Red. Santana likes to sit with her after dark and talk. I am not sure what about it, but I know that it helping the young _Cana_ ," Belle replied.

"I am sure that she is. Santana seems strong enough though. I am sure that having Red is helping her tremendously. They'll both pull through. They've both been through more than their fair share of heartache and trouble. I just hope that we can have peace and joy for longer than a few years, for everyone. I am seriously tired of all the fighting."

"You aren't the only one," Belle stated.

"Take care of her Bookworm."

"I will, Regina, my Queen," Belle said with as much respect and candor as she could, giving Regina a deep bow, before closing the door.

She wandered through the halls of the castle. Too many it would look like she was almost lost, but she wasn't. She was actually pacing and thinking. She was trying to figure out how she could get Coraline…Danni alone so they could talk.

By the time she realized what she was actually doing, she was near the stables. She went ahead in, seeing that she could actually talk to her tack master and horse trainers without any of the knights and other "horse" people being around. They were surprised to see their Queen so informally, but they liked it. She seemed very genuinely concerned with the horses, their training and their upkeep. After their usually reports and walks, the stable master showed her the horse that Danni had taken a liking to since she'd awoken.

"She's a good mare?" Regina asked.

"Yes, Majesty, a champion. She's a skillful horse. She knows the land and the kingdom. She is swift and has been taught on how to serve a knight. She always seems to be thinking ahead of the rider some days on the trails. She can spot danger before most of us can," he replied.

"Her name?"

"Her name, Majesty?"

"Yes, she must have a name," Regina stated.

"We've never named her, Highness. We were going to present her to you or Queen Emma to give to someone of the troop. Well, that was until Ser French started taking her out. Wilhelmina wouldn't allow anyone else to touch her after that," he explained.

"Ah, then I guess we shall have to have Ser French name her," Regina said, brushing the mane of the horse away from its chestnut blaze.

"Aye, Majesty, we should."

"She comes from good stock, though?"

"Yes, Majesty. She is actually descended from your father's horses. Her father is the grandson of Rocinante. Her sire was his son and her dom was a prized horse from the Golden Kingdom. She was a magnificent specimen, Majesty. A jet black mare with fire in eyes and a blaze just like hers in a gleaming white. They called her Lillebrand. I'm told it meant 'Little Fire.' She was spirited horse, but smart too. But, she was nothing like fiery chestnut of Dorado. Together, they had three colts and two fillies. You've given them all as gifts to the other kingdoms except for her and for your breed stallion, Sombra Oro, the horse that Ser Wilhelmina rides," he said.

Regina didn't seem surprised. She knew that Will would make sure that she had best stallion in the stables to ride, especially if he was a well-trained war horse. She just shook her head. She also should have realized that her father had bred Riocinante for her. But to know that his offspring were in her stables gave her a joy she hadn't felt in years. And, she decided that she needed to share that with Danni. Perhaps, they could bond over horses like she had with her father. Then, she would present the mare to Danni. Not as a gift or bribe, but as a token of faith, love and accomplishment. She was still Regina's knight after all.


	26. Chapter 26

**Chapter 26**

Regina walked over to the archery fields. She could see Will and Emma shooting at targets on one end of the field. Quinn, Snow, and Danni were on the other end. She could see the division and she wondered if it was Danni's doing. If it was, she knew that Emma took Will's side so she wouldn't feel alone. Leave it to Emma to worry about the Vulcannonian knight. She went to Emma and Will first.

"Nicely done, Darling," Regina told Emma after she hit the bullseye.

"Thanks."

"What brings you down here, Majesty?" Will asked her.

"I came to speak with the women I care about."

Will cocked an eyebrow at her but didn't say anything in response. She just drew another arrow out of her quiver and took aim. She raised the bow and loosed the arrow. It found its mark.

"Nice shot," Emma stated as she drew another arrow and took aim.

"Not so high, Emma," Will stated as she turned to correct her stance and aim a little.

"Have you not talked to her?" Regina asked when Will finished with Emma.

Their eyes met. There was a silent conversation as Emma loosed her arrow. Will stood, almost leaning on her long bow as she watched Regina. She realized too late that the Queen was not going to drop the subject, and being where they were, she had no cause to leave without it being rude. And, there was one thing that a Vulcannonian wasn't and it was rude to their pledges.

"You know you could leave if you wanted," Regina told her.

"How do you know that?" Will asked her.

"My dear, we have known each other too long. You don't hide your emotions near as well as you believe that you do. It was one of the reasons that I knew that you loved my daughter long before you told me. It was another reason that I released your from your contract to this family, but you seem to have forgotten that. You're still here and being my shadow," Regina explained.

"You will always be my charge, Regina. No matter where I am or what I tell you, I can't quit this family. The bond to your family goes beyond my contracts to Snow and then to you. And, no matter how many times Coraline or Danni," she started and then shook her head. "No matter how many times she tells me that I am free of her and our True Love bond, I cannot shake her. If I have to wait for her, I will. I can be persistently patient. You know that."

"I do," Regina replied.

Emma just smiled as she turned to face them. She knew that there was a history between Regina and Will and she knew that it was colorful to say the least. She didn't question it. She knew that Will had been there for Regina when no one else could. And, if she loved her daughter enough to be in pain and still serve the family until Coraline came back to them, then so be it. It just made her more endearing to Emma. She was willing to wait.

"Listen, Will. She loves you, but she is confused. She's tired and she's trying to figure out who she is, again. She doesn't know where she stands with any of us. This isn't a homecoming for her. This is her coming home after a war. This is her trying to deal with the fact that the life she grew up doesn't exist anymore. Everything that she had ever based her decisions on is no longer relevant. I get where she is coming from. We were just stories to her. Now, we are more real than she ever thought possible. She's fought for this moment more than once and for her entire life. She isn't just going to be okay with everything. And, finding you…well, that is just an added bonus. But, you have to think about where she is coming from," Emma told them.

Regina gave her a strange look. Emma shook her off, but took her hands. She gave her a quick kiss. Then she turned to face Wilhelmina a little more.

"I get how she feels."

"I don't understand…"

"And, you won't. None of you will. I do, because well…. My life before Storybrooke was shit. She didn't have it as bad as I did, but she grew up thinking that her Ma died on the battlefield and her Mom wasn't strong enough to stop it or the coming Blackness. Her memories of that day are clouded by those of child and not someone who experienced love and loss. She lost everything that she loved, her mothers, her older brother, and her grands. The only things that saved her were her aunts Belle and Red," Emma stated.

"But…"

"No, imagine become the foster daughter of the town librarian and one of the last Wolves. The girl was given love. I know that she was because of the relationship that she has with Belle. I would have expected it to be no less. And, Belle is terrific with Remy. It is no wonder why Regina chose her to raise our daughter. And, I get Red too. She was strong and fast. Regina did what she could with her magic to give them a better chance of survival and it worked. But, in Coraline's eyes, Regina gave up. She couldn't live without me, so she chose death over her daughter. Then, she comes to Storybrooke and Regina and I aren't exactly friendly with each other. I am sure that it had to be a shock."

"It was for all of us," Regina stated.

"But, you have to think about what she saw. She watched her mothers fall in love. That was epic for her. Then she watched as they helped her try to defeat the Blackness from coming. She saw how far they were willing to go for each other and their family. That her mothers were willing to die for her if it meant that she would have a better life. Then, she saw the events that unfolded before her as a child through the eyes of an adult. She could no longer blame Regina for what she did. She no longer hated me for taking the armies out to fight. She realized that we weren't just fighting for love, but the kingdom and most importantly for her and Henry."

"And, we still will," Regina added.

"She learned that the stories that she had been taught were all true. They weren't legends. And, somehow she was the crown princess of a desolate and forgotten kingdom. She was supposed to rise up and defeat the Blackness. And, she did, but she did it her way."

"That she did," Will muttered.

"She didn't make that choice lightly, Will. You have to believe that. You have to know that she thought that she was doing the right thing. She figured that Remy would be the answer to everything, but we didn't know. She didn't know. There was no way anyone could."

"Remy is not Coraline," Will shouted.

"We know that. And, as we raised her, we didn't remember Coraline. She did that for us and for Remy. She did that, so that Remy wouldn't have this cloud hanging over her. She accepted the Dark Curse and the Blackness. The granddaughter of True Love, the daughter of True Love, she is the daughter of one the most powerful sorceresses of this realm and it's queen, and the Savior Princess, a daughter of True Love herself, and magic user. She is literally made from and of magic. And, knowing all that, she still chose to sacrifice herself because she knew that Remy was growing in Regina. She came back to her past to save her younger self's future and she did. She gave Remy the life that she never had," Emma told them.

"I know all that," Will replied.

"And, yet, you expect her to just love you so easily."

"Yes," Will stated.

Regina shook her head. She knew that Will had a limited view on love. With her, either you did or you didn't. There was no middle ground.

"She isn't Vulcannonian, Will," Regina said.

"I know that."

"Do you? Do you really? Can you see what being here is doing to her? She doesn't know who the fuck she really is. She doesn't have a place in this world. She doesn't know how to make things work. She has spent so much of her life trying to fix things that she doesn't know how to see what is in front of her. She has always been at odds with something. And, we weren't exactly very welcoming once she came back after killing George."

"We were all in shock," Will replied.

"So much so that we let her get away again. She slipped through our fingers and why? Do you really know why? Because we were too chicken shit to do anything. We were scared. We all knew what the powers of the Dark One were and we knew what she had the potential to be. We didn't know if we could temper her. And, she didn't know that she could do it for herself."

"I should have gone after her," Will said dejectedly.

"We all should have," Regina replied.

"And, that's our problem. We let her go. We didn't stop her. We didn't go after her. We have to live with that. She's been through enough and I for one am not going to make her do something that she doesn't want to," Emma stated.

"Meaning?"

"If she wants to go back, I will let her. She has friends and a life that she is happy with. She misses you, Will. Maybe you should go with her. That is only if you think that you can handle it. Her life is vastly different than it would be here. She's happy there. She's found temperance. She's found people that accept her for her, with no pretention and no desire to hurt her."

"I know," Will muttered.

"Have you seen how they are with her? They all love her. They love each other. If I hadn't spent time with them each separately, I would have thought that she had some sort of new age harem or something like that going on. But, they aren't like that. And, honestly, even though Coraline has become Danni, she has still found a way even as the odd woman out amongst them to still bring them all together and be their leader. She can't fight her true nature. She is still a princess. She is just Broadway royalty now."

"I wish I understood what that meant fully," Regina stated.

"I am sure if you ask her, she'd tell you," Emma replied.

"I hope you like singing and dancing," Will jabbed.

Emma gave her a pointed look. Will dropped the smirk that she'd adopted. Hell, she didn't care what Danni did as long as she would allow her to be with her.

"Talk to her, Will. Tell her how much you still love her. Make her understand. Don't let her go this time without her knowing everything. I am not saying that she is going to make it easy on you. For Christ's sake, she's my daughter. She's going to fight you every step of the way because she doesn't fill like she deserves you. You have to make her see that she does," Emma told her as she drew another arrow and aimed at the targets down range.

"How does she do that?" Will asked Regina as Emma let her arrow fly.

"What?"

"That," Will stated.

"I swear it is because of her parents, but if you tell them that, I'll find a way to kill you, Vulcannonian or not. Got me? It's bad enough that I am a Charming now," Regina replied.

Will laughed. It was loud and boisterous. It was loud enough to draw attention of the other woman at the archery field. Regina took that as her cue. She kissed Emma again and began to make her way across the field to where her daughter, the high elf and her mother-in-law/step-daughter were practicing their archery skills.

She looked at the motley crew before her as she approached. She loved them all in her own way. Quinn was even growing on her. She liked the elf, but she was unsure if Quinn understood what truly being an elf meant for her and for her friends.

As she neared them, she noticed that Snow and Danni both had a similar style in their stances. She mused on that until she turned to look at Emma. Hers was the same. It must be a family trait and she stared at little harder at Will as she loosed another arrow. It wasn't just a family trait. It had been taught to them. Will taught Snow. Snow taught Emma. In her old timeline, Snow had also taught Henry, Red and Belle, who all taught Danni. In this timeline, Belle, Red, Emma, Henry and Charming were all working with Remy. She started to wonder what her younger daughter would look like in an archery stance. She smiled.

"What is it, Mom?" Danni asked bringing her back to the present.

"Just admiring your stance, dear," Regina told her.

Snow gave her a quizzical look. She then looked at Danni and Quinn. She could see the differences between the elf and Danni, but she didn't understand Regina's amusement. Then she turned and saw Emma and Will. She looked back at Danni and Quinn. Then she saw it. She smiled at Regina and gave her a knowing nod.

Danni shot a few more arrows before she sheathed her bow on her back. Snow saw her and took her bow back up. They traded places. Danni came up to Regina and Snow went to Quinn.

If Snow didn't know any better from Quinn's own admission and Danni's stories, she would have thought that the elf had grown up in the Enchanted Forest. She was at home here, but she also seemed out of her element. It reminded her a lot of Emma when they fell through the portal. Quinn was like Emma in that respect. They both adapted to their situations and they didn't let it get them completely down. It made her smile because she knew that Danni had chosen her friends, not just for their friendship, but the qualities in which they possessed and how much they reminded her of her family.

Danni stood beside the Queen and watched as the rest of the group loosed arrows at the targets down range. They stood together for a few minutes, unspeaking, just watching. When the silence became too much, Danni turned to face Regina.

"Why are you down here?"

"I came to see you," Regina told her.

"So, you've seen me. Now what? Why are you really here?" Danni asked her.

"I wanted to see you."

"But, why?"

"You're my daughter and I wanted to spend time with you."

"But, why? You have Remy. You have a kingdom to worry about. You have other things that need your attention. Why me? Why now?"

"Because I've realized that you never got this growing up."

"Got what?"

"You never got a hovering parent. You never had us come seek you out because we wanted your company because we'd had a bad day and just seeing your smile made everything that we dealt worth it. I know that when Emma comes back from her rides with Wilhelmina, as soon as the armor is off and she can break away from the troops, the first things she does is seek out Remy. She needs that in her life. She needs to know that the hardships and trials that she faces are to help the next generation. We've done so much because you came back. We've sought out council with strange lands. We've made friends with as many kingdoms here. We've even formed alliances with other magical realms. That is what my hall of mirrors is for. It is sort of my emergency call center," Regina explained.

"That still doesn't answer my question."

"I can't apologize for not being there, Danni. I can't. Because that reality wasn't mine, but I can be the mother that you want. I can be the person that you want to me to be, if you would just give us the chance to be the family that you deserve. That is why I am here. I am here because I care. I love you and I don't want you to leave, but I understand that it might be what you need."

Danni scrunched up her eyes. She didn't want to feel anything. Feeling made the magic stronger. Feeling only caused her heartbreak and suffering. She wanted to deal with Red and whatever else might get thrown their way in the meantime, but then she was leaving.

"I can't…."

"I know. I understand that. I'll let you go, but I don't want you leaving thinking that we don't care. I don't want you to go thinking that you can't come back to us for anything. And, I do mean anything. You are my daughter and if I had to, I would move the heavens and the earth to give you everything and anything that you needed. I need you to know that," Regina told her.

"What do you want from me?" Danni asked her close to tears.

"I want to you to explain your life to us. I want to talk to us. You can gloss over the parts you don't want to tell us. I'll understand. I want to know where you've been, who you've talked to, and what you've learned. I want to see what you do for living. I want to know that you are happy and loved. I want what every parent wants for their child. I want you to smile daily, love hard, laugh often and live happily," Regina stated as she took one of her hands.

"I don't know that I deserve that."

"Take it from me. It's hard to understand that someone can love you no matter what you've done, but Emma taught me that. Hell, even your Grandmother Snow has done that for me. They didn't give up me and I'm not giving up on you. None of us are. You're not broken. You're not fractured. You're still my Coraline. You're still my blood and my daughter. I helped make you out of love and nothing, I repeat nothing that you do, will ever break that bond between us or between you and Emma," Regina explained.

"I can't stay here…"

"Then go back to Storybrooke. Run the town. I am sure that there are those that would follow up back, if they are given the chance. Storybrooke is the link between our realm and yours. You could be the guardian. And, if you stay there, we could come visit," Regina offered.

"I…I…"

"Think about it, Danni. I will give you whatever I can within my power. You know this. I know that you power exceeds mine, but if I can give you anything…anything, know that I will."

"I don't know what to do about Will."

"Maybe you should talk to her," Regina stated.

"She's just so…"

"Stubborn?"

"Yes."

"Infuriatingly beautiful?"

"Absolutely."

"And the one thing that you don't think you'll ever deserve completely?" Regina questioned.

"Yes…" Danni said a little above a breathless whisper.

"Then, tell her."

"What?"

"That you still love her."

Danni faced her mother. The questions danced in her eyes. There was so much that needed to be said between the Dark One and the Vulcannonian that Danni didn't trust herself. She didn't trust her magic. She definitely didn't trust her heart. No matter what she had done, whether it was the worst evil that she could think up or not having her own heart, she never stopped loving Wilhelmina with her entire being. Some days it was excruciatingly painful. Others it was a dull ache that never went away. How could she deal with all of this now that she had her heart back?

"I don't know that I can."

"It isn't whether or not that you can, Darling. It is whether or not that you will. I know that you can do it. I know that you want to do it. I've seen the way that you been looking at her when you think that no one is looking. I've seen the way that she looks at you. She's never stopped loving you, Danni. She doesn't know how. Even under the spell that you had Belle cast, she still felt like she was missing something. We didn't know what that was until you revealed yourself to us that day," Regina told her.

"She should have moved on," Danni replied dejectedly.

"Why? Did you? Could you?"

"No."

"Then, why should she have? She was drawn to you even though she didn't know who you were. She suspected that there was something about you that was off and she was right, but she couldn't understand why she was so taken with you. Her mind was at war with her heart and for a Vulcannonian, that can be a very dangerous thing indeed," Regina stated.

"I don't know what to say."

"Tell her the truth. It may hurt, but it hurts less than lies. Tell her you still care. Tell her that you are scared to love her. Tell her whatever you feel in your heart. You're a Charming, dear. That will take a long way with your lovers. Trust me on that," Regina told her.

Danni could help but smile. She knew that her mother would never admit that to anyone else. She hated the fact that she was technically a Charming by marriage and she was more than happy to take the name Swan. But, she would never label herself as a Charming. But, she knew that if Emma hadn't been a Charming, she wouldn't have found her so endearing.

"How?"

"You're resourceful, dear. I am sure that you will find a way. Besides, I am sure that your friends would be willing to help you. All you have to do is ask, Danni. That is all you've ever had to do with us. Just ask. You'd be surprised how much support you get," Regina said.

She looked at her mother. She could see the earnestness of her words. She looked at Quinn, who was smiling at her before she turned back to face the target. Snow was leaning on her bow watching both Regina and Danni. She saw the same look in Danni's eyes that had been in her own and in Emma's. She loved Will, but she wasn't sure how to go about courting her to get her back. When Snow and Regina's eyes met, they both knew that this was about to become a family affair. Both mother and grandmother would do anything that they could to see that she was happy.

When realized that no one in her group was going to continue shooting, she sheathed her bow. She joined Danni, her mother and her grandmother. She slightly shook her head at that, but could only smile at them as she approached.

"What's wrong?" she asked when she saw the look on Danni's face.

"I need to talk to Will."

"So talk to her," Quinn answered like it was the most obvious answer to her dilemma.

"I can't just go talk to her," Danni stated.

"Then don't talk…sing."

They all looked at Quinn. They didn't know what she meant. Regina had heard Quinn sing. She knew that the blonde had a nice alto, but she didn't know what singing really meant to them all. She'd seen Santana playing guitar. Was her daughter musically inclined?

"Sing?"

"Come on, Danni. We write Broadway plays. You, Rachel and I come up with the musical scores for the shows. She acts them out. Brittany does the choreography. I know you can sing. I've heard you. Rachel has, too. You can do this. If you can't talk to her, tell her in a song."

"I've….but…you've got to be kidding me," Danni replied.

"Why?"

"I can't sing to her."

"Why not?"

"I don't sing."

"No, you sing. You just don't do it professionally. Hell, you sang back up on Rachel's record. Don't think we don't know that. Your vocals were never cut. I know that you can do this."

"But, I can't…" Danni started.

"Hey, what do we do when we don't have the words to express how we're feeling?" Quinn asked.

"We sing."

"Then sing to her."

"Quinn…" Danni started.

"Nope, not going to work. I'm going to talk to Rachel. You better prepare a picnic or something…something intimate and alone. No offense ladies, but she works well alone."

"None taken," Snow added watching her granddaughter blush.

"Quinn, this won't work…"

"You won't know until you try," Regina told her.

She looked at her mother and grandmother. Both of them had expectant looks on their faces. She sighed. She looked up into Quinn's hazel eyes.

"Look, Rachel and I will help you. We'll help you find the right song. Hell, even San can help. You know how romantic she can be. You've got this. Trust me on this. All you have to do is sing," Quinn told her with a cocked eyebrow daring her to say otherwise.


	27. Chapter 27

**Chapter 27**

Danni was pacing just outside the stables later that afternoon. She looked like she needed to talk to someone and Regina was out in the courtyard of the castle. She wasn't sure what she needed to do. She'd left Rachel and Quinn in the castle planning some romantic adventure for her and Will that she realized that she hadn't seen Red.

Regina saw her and saw the expression on her face. She crossed the courtyard and sought out her daughter. As she was making her way over, she watched as Emma and Wilhelmina were suited up and going to practice with the militia. She smiled at them as Emma caught her eye. Emma gave her a quick wave and nudged Will, who saluted and gave a quick nod to Regina but nothing more. Regina nodded back and continued on her path to Danni.

"Come ride with me," Regina told her daughter as she entered the stable.

Danni just looked at her mother. She could see the pleading look in her eyes. She didn't want to disappoint her but she wasn't sure that she could be what she wanted. She knew that Regina was trying and that made her happy. She knew that she wasn't making it easy for her family, but she was trying as well. It was hard for them all, but to see that look in her mother's eyes, almost broke her. She knew Regina was a hard person and she knew that she was emotional. But, to see such an obvious display of emotion and not behind closed doors made Danni acquiesce to her request.

"Sure, Mom," she replied and followed her into the stable.

Regina stopped in front of one of the stalls. She was petting a beautiful but oddly colored mare. She was dark black but a chestnut blaze. Danni joined her at the stall door. She looked at the horse and smiled. She wondered what her mother was doing.

"Will has been the only one to ride her," Regina told her.

"She won't let anyone else?" Danni asked as she reached out to pet her muzzle.

"No, she would, I am sure. The stable master has informed me that Will won't let anyone else ride her. I am not sure why. I haven't asked her yet. But, the stable master informed me that all of her siblings have been given away to other kingdoms as gifts," Regina replied.

"She is beautiful."

"She is. That is why I want to give her to you. I think that you would do well with her."

"Why not Remy?" Danni asked.

"Remy has her own horse. Besides, she is from my prized stock. I want you to have her."

"She's a war horse?"

"She can be whatever you'd like her to be, Danni," Regina stated.

"But, she'll be mine."

"Yes, my Dear, she is yours. I've already told the stable master that she is to be yours. He thought that it would be a great gift for a knight of the realm, such as yourself, Ser French," Regina told her.

Danni laughed. She couldn't help it. She didn't think of herself as Ser French and hadn't in ages, but she knew that some of the kingdom knew her as such. She had been Danni Gallia for so long that the name French was as foreign to her as Swan or Mills.

"I don't think I should be the one who gets her, Mom," Danni replied.

"Why not?"

"She is too fine and too beautiful. She belongs with someone who will love her as much as love this kingdom. She should be Henry's or Remy's or even Will's. I love you all, but you know that I am not staying. I don't deserve such a gift," Danni explained.

"That is neither here nor there, Danni. You are still my daughter, a princess and my knight. I will gift you anything that I may see fit because that is my prerogative not only as queen but also as your mother. I don't care...well, let me rephrase that, I do care that you don't want to stay, but I understand it. I am not giving you the horse to pressure you into staying. I am giving you the horse because I love you. I don't need a better a reason than that, do I?" Regina asked her.

"No, Mom, you don't."

Danni ran her hand over the side of the horses face. She looked to Regina as her other hand went the stall door. Regina nodded and Danni opened the door. She went into the stall with the horse. She kept her hand on the horse as the walked around it, never once removing her hand so the horse would know where she was in relation to it and not spook. When she came back to the door, she kept her hand on the mare's shoulder and looked over at her mother.

"Does she have a name?"

"Not yet."

"No? Hmm? Are you telling me to name her?"

"She is your horse," Regina replied.

Danni gave her a big smile. She grabbed the halter and pet the horse's blaze before coming out of the stall. Then, she shut the stall door before turning to Regina again.

"Are we going to ride? Or, did you really just bring me in here to give me the horse?"

"I would have given you the horse regardless, but I do want to ride with you, if you'll go," Regina said.

Danni nodded. She left Regina's side and made her way through the stable to the tack room. The stable master didn't seemed too surprised to see her. He helped her get a saddle and some tack for the horse. When he saw Regina, he realized that she would like to go out for a ride, so he went back for horse's saddle and tack. Regina just watched in awe as her daughter hefted the saddle on to the mare's back with no trouble. She smiled, knowing at least her daughter hopefully had good memories with riding and she hoped that she could give her more good memories with them together.

"Did we ride a lot, before…?" Regina asked her.

Danni stopped short and looked over the back of the mare. She'd stopped cinching down the girth strap to look at her mother. The look they shared was only a few seconds before she went back to dealing with the saddle and preparing the horse to ride. She took a deep breath and sighed.

"Yes, we rode."

"I am sorry."

"What for?" Danni asked as she started to adjust the stirrups.

"Everything, for not being there, for not being the mother that you needed. I know you don't want me to apologize and that you changed the time line, but I can't help it. I still feel like you are punishing me for things I never did, but that I might have done had we not stopped the Darkness and Rumple. I know that it may not be intentional and I understand your reasoning, but I just want you to know that I am here for you, regardless of what you've done or what I've done. I will never turn my back on you."

Danni could see the emotion in her eyes. She knew what Regina meant and she realized that she was still harboring some feelings about her upbringing that she might not have completely dealt with. Having her heart back sucked. She didn't want to feel so much. She hung her head in shame until Regina reached out and tipped her chin back.

"Never hang your head in shame, Dear. You are a princess, act as one. The people know you are my knight. Hold your head high and never be ashamed of who you are. I am not, nor have I ever been," Regina told her.

Danni stared at her for a few moments. She didn't know what to say. She stared into her mother's dark brown eyes. Their moment was broken when the stable master brought Regina's horse up to them. Danni nodded at Regina and she removed her hand and turned to the horse.

The stable master held the reins and the stirrup as Regina mounted. Danni just shook her head as she mounted her horse. Regina pulled up beside her and waited. Danni reached down and picked up her reins off the saddle horn. They both rode out of the stable, side by side and towards the castle gate.

As they neared the gate, Danni reached down to her side and adjusted her belt. Regina watched her as she did so and watched as sword in scabbard appeared on her side. She smiled up at Regina and put her right hand on the hilt as her left held the reins of her horse. Regina just shook her head at her as they passed through the gate.

"I can't have you unguarded, now, can I?" Danni questioned.

"I am not without my own resources, Dear."

"I know that, Mom. So, am I, but that doesn't mean that someone won't try something anyway. You cannot predict the will of your people. Just because you are a few and just queen doesn't mean that they all love you. Your reputation proceeds you in some areas. And, there is nothing wrong with being careful," Danni told her.

"No, there isn't," Regina acquiesced. "Thank you for thinking about my well-being. I appreciate it, more than you know, but I don't want you to feel like you have to protect me every minute of every day while you are here, Danni. Coraline French was my knight and a personal guard. You are no longer her, Dear. You are very much Danni Gallia and I am okay with that."

Danni regarded what her mother was saying. She was allowing her to be herself. There would be no constraints. She wasn't expected to be a typical royal. She could come and go as she wished. She didn't ask for permission. She did as she liked and Regina was fine with it.

"You're sure?"

"Yes," Regina answered.

"Why?"

"You're my daughter and that is the only reason I need," Regina told as she gave her horse a swift kick and went off in a gallop.

Danni smiled as she gave her horse some heel to go faster and caught her mother quickly. The mare was spirited and fast, but she handled well. It was almost as if she could anticipate her next move. She loved it. She gave her mother a smile as she passed her and just kept going. Regina could hear her laughing as she road towards the little village just outside the castle.

Regina smiled. She was happy. She was glad that Danni could find something that made her laugh. She knew that giving Danni the horse. She knew that Will loved riding as much as she did, but she could only hope that Danni did as well. Her face fell for a moment because she realized how true the words that Snow had told her were. She didn't know her daughter and she wouldn't, especially not as a mother. She would have to befriend her and treat her almost as an equal if she wanted to have any sort of true relationship with her. Danni didn't need her. She needed the comfort of home without the restrictions that a parent would give her. She needed Regina to be like an aunt or a friend, without complication, restriction or expectation. She needed for Regina to just love her and prove to her how much she loved her. She could only hope that this was a start.

She nudged her heels into her horse, Ardiente. The solid black horse gained on Danni, but Regina didn't push him. She wanted to be near enough but not right on top of Danni. She was giving her room, and she knew that Danni knew it.

Danni slowed just outside of the small village and waited for Regina to catch up with her. She was out of breath and still smiling when Regina pulled along side her. She seemed carefree and without any worry. It made Regina feel better and her heart happy to see her daughter like that, because she had never honestly had the privilege.

"What's the name of this village?" Danni asked her.

"This is Ablachnoc."

"Really?"

"Yes, that is the name that they have adopted. Why? What's wrong with the name?"

"It means Hill of Apples, Mom," Danni answered.

"Well, that would fit. They have an orchard of my Honey Crisp Apples just over there," Regina told her as she pointed to a dense copse of trees. "They have been harvesting them for me for the last few years. We even celebrate an apple festival after the first harvest."

"Do they have your tree?"

"No, it is still at the castle, but it was used to make the seedlings for the orchard."

Danni just nodded her head. She didn't know if it mattered, but it was nice to know that her mother had shared her beloved apples with her people. So much so that they built a village to care for the orchard.

"Would you like to see it?"

"Maybe another time," Danni replied.

"Are you unwell, Danni?"

She turned in her saddle and looked at her mother. She knew that it would take time and she wasn't sure how much she could actually give her before she decided to go home. They knew that Red wasn't going to die. She was elated to hear that her aunt was pregnant, especially since the last time she was there and they knew Belle had been pregnant, again.

"Mom?"

"Yes, Danni," Regina answered.

"Belle was pregnant when I left last time."

"She was."

"She lost the child?"

"She did."

"How?" Danni asked, the pain in her voice matched by the look in her eyes.

Regina didn't know where this line of questioning was coming from, but she decided that she needed to answer. She wouldn't keep the truth from Danni. She would find out eventually anyway.

"We're not sure, but it was just weeks after you left."

"It's my fault then," Danni stated.

"We don't know what caused her to lose the baby, Danielle. There could have been a thousand factors. Her body could have not been ready for another child. It might have been stress, yes, but only because there was a lot going on at that time. Your arrival and departure might have caused us all some stress, but I doubt that it would the reason that she lost the child. She wasn't that far along, Danni. Do not punish yourself for it. Belle is a strong woman and she wouldn't want you to feel responsible. I know that she doesn't blame you. She blames herself, as every woman does who loses a child," Regina said.

"Mom?"

"Did you every think of having another child? You know after Remy? Or, having Emma?"

"Why?"

"I am just wondering why you stopped with me?"

Regina sighed. This was not a conversation that she should be having in a small village on horseback. She turned the horse from the village and aimed towards the castle with no true path in mind. She was just letting the gentle clop, clop of the horse guide her towards her ultimate destination.

"How much have you read of my diaries?"

"I read them all as I got older. Every one that Red brought back to the castle or left for the refugees to bring us while she was out still looking. If she found it, I've read it," Danni told her.

"Did you read about the fight I had with my mother when I was still married to Leopold?"

"Which fight?"

Regina laughed. It was the truth. She and her mother fought a lot before she pushed her through the mirror and sent her to Wonderland. She knew that she had to be more specific.

"The one where I cursed myself," Regina stated.

"Yes, I have. But, I wasn't sure how much stock I could put into it because I was born. I know that I was made from True Love and True Love is greatest magic of all, but I still wondered as I got older."

"The curse should not have broken for you, but it did. I never questioned it because I wanted you so badly and I wanted Emma to be part of you as well. I knew that I couldn't do it on my own and I wasn't sure that having faith enough in Emma was going to create a life between us. I should have known better with your Ma, though. She doesn't do anything half assed."

"No, she has a tendency not to," Danni added.

"And, conceiving you was one of those times. I am not sure if she made it happen or I did, but that doesn't matter. The end result was the same. That night our magic combined and broke through the curse I cast on my womb. I was so afraid though that something was going to happen to you. I couldn't believe that our combined magic worked," Regina stated.

"You doubted True Love?"

"Yes, I did. And, it isn't the first time either. I loved Daniel completely, but I was child. I love Emma completely and she is my wife. I love you, Henry and Remy, but it is all different. I share True Love with you all, but each in a different way. I am not sure if you were meant to be conceived to help us fight the Darkness or not, Danni and that had been in the back of my mind since you left. Do I want more children? Yes, I do. Does Emma? I am not sure. We really haven't talked about it," Regina replied truthfully.

"Why not?"

"We have Henry and Remy. We have the kingdom to worry about. We were worried about you once we remembered everything that we had gone through in Storybrooke. Our lives have honestly never been our own, but that is the drawback of being royal. I understood that, but Emma had a harder time dealing with it," Regina said.

"She doesn't want the responsibility."

"It does weigh on her. I'll give you that, but being here has come with its own issues. Not only for her, but for all of us. The Enchanted Forest is our home, but so is Storybrooke. Not everyone here lived under the curse and had two lives. I know that there are more than a few that would go back given the opportunity, and there are those that wish to remain here. I can't give them both what they want. So, we've done what we could to incorporate some of the ideals and technologies of Storybrooke into our lives," Regina explained.

"And, has that worked?"

"Somewhat, yes, but it still causes some issues that must be addressed. While Emma is their Queen, everyone still treats her like a Sheriff and she is content with that. She doesn't want any real power. She sits on the council and she holds court with me, but for the most part, she is a general that helps protect the people and dishes out the law. She is content with that as are the people. Who am I to take that from her? I won't. I know that she wants to go back, but before you came back, we had no hope of finding a way. There are no beans here anymore."

"I know."

"You were the one that salted the earth?" Regina asked knowingly.

"Yes, I couldn't have you following me. I must say that I am surprised though that you never thought of mirror magic before, especially with all the mirrors in the manor house. You've had an avenue to get back but possibly you didn't have enough power to open a portal."

"They may be true, but we've had other things to deal with."

"Like?"

"We were worried about you. We were looking for a way to find you and bring you home. Between looking for a way to bring you home and help you fight the darkness of being the Dark One and helping rebuild the kingdoms, we didn't really take enough time out for ourselves. Snow helped some and even Belle, but…" Regina started to tell her.

"But, things were never like they were when I was here," Danni answered.

"No, that isn't it…. We were just as close as we ever were. Emma and I talked about having more children, but the timing never seemed right. I know that you might have wanted a sibling. I've thought about it. I've even talked with Snow about it," Regina told her.

"But?"

"I didn't want you to come home and think that we had another child because we forgot about what you went through. I guess it was our way of punishing ourselves by not stopping you or helping you more. Emma had mixed feelings about her baby brother. I…we…didn't want you to have that about a younger sibling. Having Remy and knowing that she would have the same upbringing that you did was enough for us. We decided that we would never let her know a day without love and that she would never question our love for her or our family," Regina replied.

"And, she never has," Danni stated.

"No, she hasn't."

"I know. She's told me. She doesn't understand completely who I am, but she knows that I am related to her. She thinks that I am her older sister, when in fact she would be the older sister."

"What do you mean?" Regina asked.

"Remy doesn't share the same birthday as I do. She was born about six months earlier than I was. Meaning that me coming back started a completely different time line all together. But, it doesn't explain nor will it ever let us know if what we did in order to make sure that she didn't have the same upbringing that I did actually stopped the Darkness completely. I still don't know what the contributing factors were. Was it really just saving Neal's heart? Is that all I had to do? I don't know. Did we have to kill Rumple? I don't know. There are more questions than there are answers. Just like I have more darkness some days than light, I can't be sure of anything. I am still at war with myself. I've just gotten better at hiding it."

"You don't look like a Dark One," Regina told her.

"Why? Because I am not gold and scaly? Or, is it the way I walk and talk? Is it because I care too much about my family that even in my darkened state I couldn't stay away? "

"Why didn't you ever tell us that you came back? Why didn't you let us know that you okay? Or, that you were trying to find ways to make your way back to us? Why just visit Remy?"

"Because for some reason she is me and I am her, but we are not each other. We are sisters, but we are not related. We are twins, but we do not share the same birth. She grounds me in a way that no one else has and I can only say it is because she is living the life I wanted as a child."

"I don't know what you want me to say," Regina said pulling her horse up short as the neared the castle.

Danni looked at her mother. She wasn't sure what she wanted her to say either. There was so much that she wanted to say, but she didn't know how to say it. She couldn't express everything that she felt. There were no words that could make them understand the living hell that she'd been through to come out like she was now.

"I need to go," Danni said abruptly and turned her horse towards a pasture.

"Danni, wait."

"What?"

"Rachel said something earlier, something that I think makes more sense to me now than it did then," Regina told her, as her voice cracked with emotion.

"What's that?"

"You five express yourselves with music and song."

"Yes, so?"

"Sing for me."

"What?"

"Sing me a song that explains how you feel, how your felt. Tell me in song what you are afraid to tell in person. Make me see what you want me to see. I know that the arts help people express things. Sing for me, even it if it only for me, I don't care. But, sing and express yourself. I don't want to lose you again. I don't want to suffer. And, I never want you to believe that I don't love you," Regina told her.

"You want me to sing for you?"

"Yes."

"Fine."

"You'll do it?"

"I am not sure that you will like the songs, I chose. But, yes, I'll sing for you. You'll have to give me time. And, I am sure that I won't want a large audience," Danni explained.

"Just tell me when and where, Danni. I'll give you anything you ask for. I love you and I want you to be happy. But, I need for you to talk to me, even when you think I don't want to hear it."

"Fine. I'll send you a raven," Danni told her as she circled around Regina on her horse. "I'll be back in time for dinner. I…need some time alone. Let them know that I am alright."

"I will," Regina replied as she watched Danni ride off towards the countryside at full tilt.

She berated herself as she watched her go. She'd pushed too hard, too fast, just like Snow told her not to, and now she was watching her daughter run away again. Damn, those Charming genes. She could only hope that she could spend more time with her.

She also hoped that Danni knew that she would let her go back to New York if it was what she really wished to do. She wouldn't hold her down and make her stay. Danni was of age and able to make her own decisions. She just wished that Danni saw that they acknowledge that. They didn't think of her as a child. She was very much an adult, their knight, a princess, but most of all she was their daughter and as such would always cause them worry, in this world or any other. Their bond was blood and magic and nothing would sever it, not time, not realms, not magic, nor curse. They would always be family regardless of the fate they were given.


	28. Chapter 28

**Chapter 28**

Emma sat upon a wooden bench just inside the castle armory. She had a wet stone and cloth beside her as she inspected the blade in her hands. It was identical to the one that Danni had. Regina eventually made her a sword, a late wedding present, and only Belle seemed to understand the significance of it at the time. Emma had always wondered why Belle gasped that birthday, but upon Coraline...Danni coming back and defeating George, she finally realized why. She knew that she should be upset about it, but she really wasn't. She was glad that Danni had Belle in the end, because she couldn't be there for her. It hurt, but Emma wasn't going to push things with her daughter.

She wanted her to know that she loved her and that she would be there for her however she needed her. She wasn't going to take sides between Danni and Will. She cared for them both and she knew that they were both hardheaded. It reminded her of herself and Regina. They would come together eventually. They wouldn't be able to deny their attraction to each other or their True Love bond. Emma didn't care that Danni had tried to break it. She knew that Will didn't let go.

She'd watched her mope for months, before giving her the militia to train. It gave Will something else to focus on and being second in command of the kingdom's forces helped bring her out of her funk. Regina had been worried in those early months after Danni's portal jump that Will would give up. She'd mentioned it a few times to Emma and Emma had sought out Belle to learn more about the Vulcannonian people. After she read up on her Enchanted Forest lore and histories, she went looking for Wilhelmina and gave her a piece of her mind.

She and Will had come to blows that night, but in the end, Will thanked her for the beating. Emma still laughed about it. She couldn't believe that Will thanked her for beating her ass, when she was the one that had her ass kicked. Regina had been angry with them for days afterward, but when she saw Will actually patrolling the grounds and acting more like herself again, she forgave them both.

Will came in the armory and sat down on a bench across from Emma. She too had a wet stone and cloth. She drew her sword and began to work on it.

Emma looked up and met her eyes. Will gave her a quick smile and went back to work on her sword. Emma heard her sigh, but she waited. She knew that Will wanted to talk and for some reason, she and Will had become best friends since they came to the Enchanted Forest. She reasoned that it was because they were both outcasts in their own right. Emma actually laughed at her the night Will told her that, "us warrior princesses have to stick together, don't you know?" It had become a running joke for a while and Emma started calling her Xena because of it.

"Do you miss bounty hunting?" Will asked her breaking their silence.

"I don't know. I guess. I was the sheriff so it was almost the same, but not really. I didn't have to set up cons to find someone. Usually I was the one trying to stop the cons, but it's all relative."

"But, you aren't sheriff here," Will replied.

"I know that."

"You're a queen, but you're still your mother's princess," Will added.

"Yeah, but as queen, I enforce the law, so it's kinda the same thing," Emma stated.

"You enforce Regina's laws."

"So," Emma replied. "She's a queen, too. And, she knows the laws of this land and the people better than I do. This isn't the world that I grew up in. I am still learning and she knows that."

"You also like to fight," Will added.

"It has it perks."

"Does she like it when you come home broken and battered?" Will questioned.

"I don't do that anymore. I haven't started a bar fight in ages. Besides, your ale is mighty strong and well, I felt like Superman. I've cut back and the fights have stopped. Most of them were backed by the dwarves anyway. Once I came home with a black eye and she yelled, but I never forgot it."

"And, yet, you still chose to pick a fight with me," Will said.

"You needed your proverbial ass kicked."

"So you decided to do the real ass kicking instead?"

"It worked, didn't it?" Emma inquired with a cocked eyebrow.

"It did."

"Then don't complain about it."

"I am not."

"Okay then," Emma retorted.

They went back to cleaning and sharpening their swords. The steady sounds of wet stones against steel could be heard. Fink, fink, fink, tink, tink, tink, ffft, ffft, ffft. The sounds filled the small entryway that they were in. Emma stopped and checked her blade with her thumb. Happy with the outcome, she reached down the bench and grabbed her leather sheath.

"You need to oil it," Will said without looking up at her.

"I know that. I do that in my rooms while Regina and I go over the maps. Have you heard anything from the Wolves that we know are loyal?"

"Nothing new. And, the patrols haven't picked up any signs of the Silver Army. I don't know who they are and what they want, but I am sure that they are after something in Ulfland. I don't know how long we will be able to keep it a secret that Red is with pups."

"You told us that you don't trust the guard. We can't tell them until we know that none of the Wolves are going to start a coup and try to hurt Red or the pups. Is there anyway that we can find out more about the Randae without alerting them?" Emma questioned.

"Not without raising some suspicion."

"We need to get more information from the north and we can't do it sitting here."

"I know that, but I won't go against Regina's orders. She doesn't want anyone breaking the border into Ulfland until Red awakes fully and has the pups. I don't know what else to do."

"Can we ride the border and get some of the Ulf to do as we ask?"

"I am not the one that the Ulf trust anymore. Yes, I am Regina's Vulcannonian, but that doesn't give me any power over them. We would need a seal or something from Red and an Ulf on our side to pass along the message. Which we don't have."

"We may not have an Ulf they know..."

"I am not sending Santana out there alone," Will hissed, grabbing for her scabbard.

"Then, don't. We'll send a contingent with her. We'll keep her safe. I'll go with her. We'll say that it is a diplomatic mission or something. I am sure as soon as I tell Regina that I am going, she is going to insist that you go as well," Emma told her.

"She will and you know it."

"I do," Emma replied with a smirk.

"You want her to send us."

"What other way are we going to get our intel?"

Will shook her head. This wasn't going to be a stake out. This wasn't a bounty that needed capturing. This was life and death and could start a war if they weren't careful.

"I am not going to start a war. I want to know more about this Silver Army that is stalking our lands. Will, we need to know what we are fighting. Don't you agree?" Emma asked her.

"I do, but it isn't my place to make such statements."

"Are you or are you not tasked with protecting this family?"

"I am," Will replied.

"Are you or are you not tasked with protecting this kingdom?"

"I am."

"Are you or are you not in love with my daughter?"

"I am," Will stated.

"Are you or are you not the queens' guard?"

"I am," Will replied getting a little more blustered the more Emma asked.

"Then, stand up and get ready, knight. We are going hunting for an army and I am not going to take no for an answer. I am not going to sit back and wait for them to attack and hurt the Ulf. If the Ulf need us, then we will help. If they turn on us, then we will withdraw. If the Silver Army is a threat, we will deal with it accordingly. I am not going to let some army just waltz through our kingdoms and threaten our happiness and peace. So, get ready, because I am about to start something that we will finish."

Will stood up. There was a new fire in her eyes. She knew that she'd been bred to fight, but this was different. She knew that this fight was going to be personal.

"What about Danni?"

"I'll deal with Danni, Will. I just need to know that you are with me on this. Will you support this endeavor, Wilhelmina? Will you be the Protector of the Realm? Will you ride with me?"

Will looked at her. She could see the fire in Emma's eyes. She knew that Emma wasn't going to stop until she knew that her family was protected. She also knew that if Danni caught wind of this little adventure that she would demand to deal with herself. Will would do anything to keep Danni out of the line of fire and off the battlefield.

She drew her sword with her right hand. She pointed the tip at the ground and then pulled her arm up sharply until her fist was against her left breast. She dropped her head in final salute.

"I will follow you, my Queen," she told Emma.

"Good. Now, I'll go deal with Regina. You keep Danni away from us long enough. She doesn't need to know about this."

"You honestly don't think that she isn't going to ask when all the sudden we go riding out?"

"I am hoping that we can get her friends in on this with us."

Will just stared at her. She couldn't believe what Emma just said. It made sense, but it also meant that Danni was going to be pissed when she found out. Emma could be devious when needed. She knew how to get things done and Will couldn't fault her for that. She knew that it was her upbringing that made her do things that didn't always make sense to everyone else.

"Emma, are you crazy?"

"Some might tell you yes," Emma replied.

"I get what you want to do, but you are completely out of your mind if you think that they are just going to sit back and not help. They may try to keep Danni out of hair during the planning stages of this ill-advised mission, but they aren't going to stop her as soon as she knows that we've ridden off on some quest. She is going to mount up and follow us. And, we aren't going to be able to hide from her. She is the damned Dark One. She'll find us and quickly. And, then, I wouldn't want to be you," Will explained to her as they slowly made their way into the castle courtyard from the armory.

"Then, what will we do?"

"We go talk to Red and Regina together."

"But, Red is..."

"Brittany will aid in that. I am sure that Santana will want to be present as well. I know that you want to leave her out of this, Emma, because she is your daughter, but you can't. Danni is too ingrained into the military might of this family. She'll fight because she is defending you. You cannot take that from her. She'll never forgive you if you do and you know that," Will told her.

"I was hoping we could leave her out of this."

"She has her heart back. She is a lot calmer than the woman we met three years ago. She has lived many lifetimes since then, I am sure. I can see it in her eyes. You can't just expect her to sit back and not care, especially now. She loves Remy like a little sister and she will still risk her life to make sure that Remy has the life that she never did," Will stated.

"I know. I've seen her with her. She is incredibly gentle and caring and that was even before she had her heart back. I just… I don't know what to do with her. I know that I shouldn't treat her like she is my daughter, but I can't help that. She is my daughter and as such I want to be able to stop her pain. She shouldn't be dealing with being the Dark One. I should," Emma lamented.

"You died."

"I did and it chose her."

"She took it willingly that day, Emma, and you know that. She sacrificed herself for your family. Do not take that from her," Will cautioned.

"I wouldn't dare, but I am the Savior and I couldn't even save my daughter. What does that make me now? She survived everything that she went through just to become the Dark One. Then she fights that because she figures it is the only way to make sure that Regina doesn't become the Black Queen inadvertently. It isn't fair. She's suffered enough. Why can't I take some of that suffering from her? Why does she constantly end up alone?" Emma questioned as they neared the main hall.

"I'm not going to let her suffer alone anymore," Will added.

Emma turned and looked into the fiery blue eyes of her oldest friend. She knew what Will meant. It didn't matter what Danni wanted anymore. Will would always be by her side. They were both immortal and they could care for each other. She just nodded at Will's words and she hoped that Danni would see how much everyone there actually loved her, family, friends, and True Love alike. The girl who grew up wondering about love would no longer be able to question it, if they could help it.

Emma and Will continued towards the main hall of the castle. They knew that it was just past the time that Regina would hold Court. She would either be with Danni or with Red. After a while, she would go the library to talk with Belle, who had become one of the main royal advisers.

"Do you think that Belle will ever truly go back to the Dark Kingdom to rule?"

"She's set up a governor and she visits enough to make sure that no one is trying to take over. The people are loyal to her. I doubt that they care that she doesn't stay there. They are just happy that they aren't under the rule of the Dark One any more."

"Can you blame them?"

"No, but I wonder if Belle would surrender the kingdom to Danni if she asked for it?"

"Belle? Yeah, she would. She loves Danni as much if not more than Regina and I do. It hurts me to say that, but I know its true. Danni may not truly be her sister or her ward in this world, but she still loves her like she is. When we didn't remember, Belle did. Her love for Danni never stopped. She was still trying to find a way to help her even then. We just didn't know."

"And, now?" Will asked.

"Why do you think we sent her to get her?" Emma asked.

Will just nodded her head. She'd wanted to go, but she had been ordered to stand down by Regina and Emma. It hurt, but when she saw Danni with Belle a few weeks later, she knew they had been right. If she had gone, Danni would have run and never looked back. And, her friends in New York would have never known what happened. Once again, she would just be gone and her loved ones would have been wondering what they had done wrong or what had caused her to flee in such a manner. Will knew. She knew that pain and she knew the suffering that caused it.

Emma grabbed a passing page. She bent over and talked to the young boy, who was just smiling up at one of his queens. Everyone loved them both, but Emma seemed to garner more favor quicker. She smiled back at him and waited for his answer before dismissing him. Will just stood by her side and waited. She knew that Emma wanted her to stay with her so that they could work on the plans together.

"And, you're sure that she is in with Red, right now?" Emma asked the page.

"Yes, Majesty, every day after Court, Lady Belle and Queen Regina go see Lady Red together. They stay there for about a candle mark or two. Then, Ser Santana comes in with Lady Brittany."

"And, where do they go after they stay with Red?" Emma inquired.

"To the library, Majesty," he replied quickly.

"Good boy. Tell Granny to give you an extra slice of pie. Go on. Don't be late with your messages."

The boy went scurrying off. Emma smiled at him. She turned and headed to the library. Will wondered why she was going to the library when Court had just ended. Will didn't question her outright at the moment. She just followed.

Once they were in the library, Emma gathered some maps and books on both Ulfland and the Dark Kingdom. Will didn't know what she was thinking, but she figured that Emma was already hatching a plan. They sat at dark oaken table in near a bank of windows off the side of the main section of the library. The table had the Swan-Mills crest carved in both the head and foot. Will knew that this was the royal desk. If it was occupied, the workers would leave them alone unless it was an emergency. This is what Emma wanted. She wanted the peace that the library offered while she planned out her strategy.

"Why are we here and not with Red right now?" Will asked as she sat beside Emma.

"Because Regina is going to want a plan, a strategy. She'll want to know that we have put thought into this and not just decided that we are going to just go do it. I can't just come at her with an idea. You know this. You know that she'll just turn me down and not think about it. We have to have something to give her, something that will make her realize that we aren't going off half-cocked."

"Well that generally is a good idea anyway."

"So, we're here so I can think of something."

"Have we gotten any more ravens from the Dark Kingdom or Ulfland?"

"About?"

"The mysterious Silver Army," Will replied.

"Yes, but there has been no new information."

Will nodded her head. She could feel Emma's frustration. She was frustrated, too. She hadn't wanted to tell Regina about the Silver Army, but she couldn't keep it a secret either. Red needed to know that there was a possibly threat both inside and outside her kingdom. And, she knew that Regina would defend Ulfland to the last man if she had to for her sister.

Will reached across the table and grabbed a map. She ran her finger across the velum and parchment. Emma watched her finger moving and then turned to look up at Will. Her finger stopped just inside the borders of Ulfland.

"This is where we crossed," Will told her and then with her other hand pointed to a small valley amongst some mountains to the west of the first point. "And, this is where we found the flower and Regina extracted us through the mirror."

"Where did you first encounter them?" Emma asked.

Will moved her hand across the map. She leaned forward and studied the topography. It was a crude map, but it served its purpose.

"Here," she said stopping her hand.

"That's not far from the Valley."

"No, it isn't."

"We should start there."

"There is nothing there, Emma. I know that Valley. It is why I knew that the flower would be there. I lived in that valley for months. But, things and paths had changed since I was there when I was little," Will explained.

"You lived with the Wolves?"

"Yes, my mother is a Wolf, remember?"

"Ah, yes, Anita's sister."

"Yes," Will replied.

Emma looked at her. She could hear the nostalgia in her voice. Will was always comfortable with Red, more so than others. It was her loyalty to the family that made her socialize. Emma knew that she was a creature of habit and that she was used to her solitude. That much hadn't changed from when she met her as a bounty hunter.

"That's where we should start, Will. They have to have a camp or something near there. A troop the size that you were describing doesn't move without a base. I want to know where it is and why it's there. If they are hunting Wolves, I want to know on whose authority."

"I want to know why they are trying to start a war," Belle told them joining them at the table.

Emma looked up at the smaller woman. Her deep blue eyes were blazing. Emma was worried that she might decide to take up a sword again and fight.

"It won't come to that," Emma assured her.

"You're damn right it won't," Belle stated.

"Now, Belle…"

"No, Emma, don't you dare. You aren't going to plan some crazy mission without my help. I know that land and these maps better than anyone. I've been studying them for years. But, you're right. They have to be holed up somewhere. I know that no one from the Dark Kingdom would support them without my consent," Belle said.

"Can you be sure?"

Belle gave them both a look at the question. She leaned forward, finger on fire and pointed to a junction between three mountains just the west of the valley in question and dangerously close to the Dark Kingdom. Her finger touched the map but it didn't burn.

"I've already secured the border. They aren't near enough to it to cause concern, but I've got word that they have seen their forces. I've beefed up patrols near the mountains. They have found no trace of a force the size that Will, Santana and Quinn described. They've traced hoof prints in the ground to the border and then they vanish."

"They have magic?"

"They have something cloaking them enough. But, who or what? I don't know. I'd have to be closer in order to tell you that," Belle explained.

"You aren't going."

"Emma…"

"No, Belle, you aren't going. I am not going to allow it. I'm going to need you here."

"You can't leave me here when I know how to deal with the Ulf and the citizens of the Dark Kingdom. I know more about this entire realm than anyone. I am going with you," Belle demanded.

"Where are you going?" Regina asked coming.

They all looked up from the maps to the regal queen before them. Emma had the decency to look ashamed and blushed at her wife. Will gave her a weak smile that betrayed her thoughts. And, Belle just turned around looking pissed.

"So, someone want to tell me what this is about?" Regina asked again as she neared the table and glanced over all the literature and maps laying on it.

"We are going to conduct a spy mission of sorts," Emma stated.

"We?" Regina questioned with a cocked eyebrow and an unamused face.

"Well, I planning on taking Will with me and small contingent of troops."

"I see," Regina said.

Emma knew that she was in trouble. Short answers were never a good thing when it came to Regina, and they were damn near deadly when it pertained to the realm or family. This was for both.

"And, what are you looking for?" Regina asked after a few minutes of silence.

"The Silver Army," Emma replied quickly.

"Absolutely not. You are not going out there on your own. I am not going to let you put yourself in that kind of danger when we don't know what we are up against," Regina stated.

"I know that. I am not going to start a fight. I am going to see what they want and what they are doing. Nothing more. I just want to make sure that they aren't hunting the Wolves," Emma told her.

"I would believe that more if Will told me that, but I know you, Emma. I know how you think and how you operate. You are going to see what they are up to and then you would react without clearly thinking it through. I can't lose you, Emma. I am not going to. We've fought too hard for what we have. So has Danni," Regina explained.

"I know that."

"Do you? Do you really understand that is what she is still scared of? She doesn't want to be here because she is afraid that she still failed. She doesn't want her fate to fall upon Remy. I don't either, so we are doing everything that we can to keep it from happening. I am sorry, but you can't go."

"Not even with Will?" Emma asked.

"No."

"Why not?" Will asked, wondering Regina's thinking.

"Because if something were to happen to you, I need Emma here to lead the troops."

Will nodded her head in understanding. She knew that Regina always was two steps ahead of her foes. She just wondered what she had up her sleeve this time.

"We'll find a contingent of Ulf that are still loyal. We'll have them patrol and gather intelligence. Once we have enough information, we might revisit this plan. Until then, my answer is no," Regina told them, gathering her skirts and headed back out the library. "By the way, Emma, we're having dinner with our daughter and her friends tonight in the banquet room. I expect that you'll need to bathe before hand. You have an hour."

"Well fuck."


	29. Chapter 29

**Chapter 29**

Emma sat that banquet table and stared at the four women that came back with Belle and Danni. She wasn't angry with them. She wanted their help. Her eyes swept over the table again and met Danni's, then Will's. She gave them both a smile, before she turned back to face Regina.

"Now that everything has calmed down some, how are you all fairing?" Regina asked them.

Quinn caught Emma's eyes and then cocked an eyebrow at the question. She could tell that there was more going on and they were holding back. She turned and looked at Brittany. She could tell that Brittany was worried about something. She could also tell that Santana knew that Brittany was upset, too. She looked over at Danni and then Will. Both of them gave her a quick nod as she grabbed Rachel's hand.

"Everything seems to be well, Majesty," Quinn finally stated.

She waited and she watched. She could always tell when someone was lying to her and Danni knew it. They could all tell that there was something on Regina's mind. They were waiting for her to finally tell them what was wrong.

Quinn turned to Emma. They had been spending time in the armory and on the practice fields together, sparring, learning, and training. When she saw the look cross Emma's face, Quinn broke. She decided that she was going to break the tension and figure out what was going on.

"Alright, what's going on?" Quinn asked breaking the silence.

"Quinn…" Danni urged.

"Nope, she's right. Something is definitely wrong and they are dancing around it. So what gives? What are you telling us?" Santana questioned.

"There's a dance?" Brittany inquired.

"No, babe, they are being truthful about something."

"Oh, I know," Brittany replied looking both Emma and Regina in the eye.

Emma hung her head. She knew that this wasn't going to be easy. Her daughter had befriended a High Elf, a Werewolf, and an Empath. They had been known as the Unholy Trinity in high school and seeing them together, Emma got it. They ruled the school for the most part and they were used to getting their way. If they didn't, heaven help whoever was in their way.

"The problem of the matter is we don't know what's going on," Emma finally said when she realized that Regina was trying to find a way out of this conversation.

"What does that mean?" Danni asked, giving them both a pointed look.

Regina sighed. She knew that as soon as Danni knew that there was something wrong, she was going to demand more information. The problem was they didn't have the information that she would want. And, knowing that, Danni would go find out for herself.

"It would seem that there might be a threat to the North, near the borders of Ulfland and the Dark Kingdom. We aren't sure if there really is a threat or it is just a group moving through to some other kingdom. Our sources haven't been exactly forth coming," Regina told them.

Danni looked at her mother. She knew exactly why they didn't tell her about this. She could see the fear in her eyes. She could the haunting sorrow that she was going to lose her daughter, again. And, as much as Danni wanted to tell them that she wouldn't go off and fight, they all knew that it would be a lie. She would be the first on the battlefield, sworn drawn, battle cry screamed as she charged their foes, looking for the heads of their leaders to present in victory to her mothers. She nodded at her mother, wiped her mouth and sat back, thinking about what she was about to say, knowing it would officially end their dinner.

"How long?"

Will bristled next to her. Emma hung her head, but Regina met her eyes and held them. Chocolate fire warred with mahogany, and they each held their ground.

"How long?"

Regina still didn't answer. The fire was brewing in her. The anger rising. It was the first time that the four women that came with her witnessed her vigorous passion as the fire began to dance in her eyes, swirling and turning into a light purple.

"MOTHER, HOW LONG?!" she demanded almost at a roar.

Regina still held her eyes, refusing to answer. Emma grabbed Regina's hands to keep her from acting out at Danni, as she watched Will's hand batted away by Danni as she tried to calm the Dark One. Emma pushed Regina away from the table and stood up, pulling Danni's eyes towards her instead. Santana stood along with Quinn, who both were immediately at Danni's side, pushing Will away.

"Danni…" Emma said in warning.

"HOW LONG?!"

"A fortnight at best," Emma replied.

"AND, YOU DIDN'T TELL ME?!"

"It isn't the Blackness, Danni. We know that much. The Darkness doesn't exist here because of you. You stopped it, remember? You sacrificed yourself to save us all. You gave your heart to your uncle to save his life. You took the Darkness from me so I would live to help your mother raise Remy and give her the life you never had," Emma told her.

"I KNOW ALL THAT," Danni's voice boomed in the banquet hall.

"Danni, please."

"NO. Don't think that I am just going to sit here and listen to this. What is going on?" Danni demanded as her jaw set, waiting for someone to tell her what she didn't know.

"Danni…" Brittany said, joining them.

When Brittany touched her, she visibly calmed. Santana and Quinn backed up from her just enough to allow Brittany to move closer. Rachel watched the scene unfold before her with rapt attention. They were all mesmerized as Brittany slid her hand down from Danni's shoulder over her right arm and into her hand. She held her hand and pulled Danni off balance so that she had to rest against the taller blonde. It gave Brittany the position that she wanted. She changed her hands so that she had Danni's right hand in her left, still holding it tightly. She left her right hand circle around until she had her hip firmly in her grasp, still keeping her off balance. She whispered into Danni's ear just a few words and the riled brunette melted into her completely.

"Highness, I believe she is now ready to hear the news," Brittany told Regina, holding her gaze over Danni's shoulder.

Regina coughed and cleared her throat. She watched as Brittany tightened her hold on her daughter. The look in Brittany's eyes went from pleading to anger and back so quickly that Regina thought she dreamt it. Emma moved enough to the side that Regina was completely visible to them all again.

"Danni..."

"Just tell me," Danni stated.

Her voice sounded broken and forced. She didn't fight Brittany, but Emma could see the pain her eyes. Danni's duality was at war and Brittany was the only thing keeping her in check at the moment. Emma grabbed Regina, hoping to keep her grounded as well. She could see that they might say or do something they would all regret later. Brittany gave Emma a nod and Emma squeezed Regina's hand as she pulled her up next to her.

"Danni, you were sick…"

"Just tell me!" she hoarsely screamed.

Brittany held her closer. Santana took her free hand and held it. Quinn stepped closer, but didn't reach out to touch her. Rachel took that moment to stand up. She looked between them all. She then reached up and grabbed Danni's face, making her turn to look into her eyes. It looked awkward, but Danni completely deflated.

"Danni, you were sick and things happened," Rachel started.

Regina cocked her head at the diva's words. Did she know more than she was saying? Had the Wolf and Elf told her what they had encountered in woods of Ulfland? She watched wondering what was about to unfold before her. She knew that they were close, but this was shocking to her. Her daughter, the Dark One, had four women that could tame her, each their own way.

"Rachel…"

"Shhh," Rachel told her putting a finger on her lips before continuing. "You were feverish. You were never sick in New York and we didn't know what to do. Will knew what it was. It was partially because of your heart being back in your chest, which by the way we are totally going to have to talk about later."

"Rachel…" Quinn whispered.

"Sorry. Right. You were sick. No one knew how to help you but Will."

Will was standing now. She watched as Danni's eye scanned the room until they found her sapphire eyes. They held and she waited to see if Danni was going to say something to her or even ask her what happened. When she broke Danni's gaze, she turned to Regina. The look she gave her queen was accusatory. She couldn't believe that Regina hadn't told Danni anything.

Rachel just held her face, staring deeply into her eyes, until she felt the anger leave her. It wasn't Brittany that could do that. And, no one, least of all Rachel, understood how she could get the woman to calm so easily with just a look and stare. Quinn and San had seen her do it a lot after they brought her back to New York. Rachel was the only one she confided in and Danni could tell that Rachel was hurt by not knowing the full truth of her life.

"Rachel…"

"Not now, Danni. Right now, you need to know what happened and you need to be calm. If you can't do that, then we aren't going to tell you."

"But, Rachel…"

"No, Danni. You know that I don't condone violence, but I am still thankful for what you did for me that day in alley. Will you sit back down and let us tell what happened? Can you do that for me? I need you to be calm, Danni. Will you do that for me?" Rachel asked her, hands still on her cheeks and pleading look in her eyes.

Danni just dropped her head. And after a few seconds of hanging her head in shame, she nodded. It was slight and Rachel may have been the only one to perceive it but it was enough. Danni's body, once rigid in Brittany's arms, went limp and they helped her back into a seat.

Once she was seated and settled, Rachel sat down beside her. Santana grabbed chairs for her and Brittany to sit behind Danni. Quinn just moved behind Rachel and waited.

"What happened?" Danni asked, now calmer.

"You were sick, like we said. Will knew where a plant was that could help you. She was the one who told us that you had Magic Fever."

"Magic fever?" Danni questioned, her face contorted in question.

"Yes," Regina stated and noticed that Danni looked up at her. "It happens when too magic builds up without expulsion. You hadn't had your heart in your body, but it still possessed magical build up. Upon travelling back here, the magic build up became too much for your body to handle and it went into shock."

"And, Will knew how to help. She took Santana and Quinn with her to find the plant needed to make a tea to help you. They had to go to Ulfland to get it," Emma told her.

"I don't care about any of that and you know it. What happened? Did something happen while you were all in Ulfland?"

" _Karam a kar. Malek for san. Karam al forsek mashick,"_ Will muttered _._

"This is not the time to be speaking gibberish. Someone needs to tell me what happened in the woods and someone needs to do it now. What the fuck happened?" Danni demanded.

"Language," Rachel chided softly and Danni was good enough to look scolded.

"What happened?"

"Will," Rachel said, knowing that it would come better from her.

"We found the Randae."

"And they led us towards the mountain pass into the valley where the Red Lion could be found."

"Will…" Rachel urged.

"On the way, I noticed that the Randae were acting strange. I knew that Ruby had been absent from the lands for a while, but I didn't want to believe it. The Randae had split into two factions, one style loyal to the Brannon and one not. They were mixed and they knew that I was the Champion of the Swan Kingdoms and Vulcannonian. They were going to try anything while I was in Ulfland, but I could tell that there were hard feelings that Ruby had not come home."

"So…"

"I sent Santana and Quinn along, just a few hours ahead, and I followed the Randae. I confirmed the split amongst the Randae. It wasn't hard to see who the leader of the faction against Red was. I followed him, but I knew that I needed to get back to Quinn and Santana. They were…not used to the environment that we found ourselves in and I didn't want to leave them alone too long without help. It wasn't that I didn't trust them to be okay on their own, I knew they could, but it was that I didn't trust the Randae anymore," Will stated.

"Is that all?"

"No," Quinn answered.

Rachel tensed and she knew that Danni saw it. Danni knew that whatever came next was going to be hard for her to hear or it was violent. It was the only reason that Rachel would be so tense about it. She turned from looking at Will back to her mothers. When she didn't get any further information, she turned to face Quinn.

"So?"

"We found out that I am a Wolf and Quinn is an elf," Santana told her.

She couldn't help herself. She laughed. It was loud and boisterous. It took everyone by surprise.

"What's so funny?" Emma dared to ask breaking up her laughter.

Danni looked across the table at her mothers, again. A smile crept across her face. Rachel gave her a worried look while Santana and Brittany moved closer to her. She reached out with her hand and Rachel took it. She could tell that they were worried that she was about to do something stupid and unleash her fury, but Rachel could see something in her eyes. Rachel dared to wonder if it was mirth.

"The fact that even in a land without magic, I would be the one that found magical beings to surround myself with. Of course they are. It makes so much more sense to me now. It would explain why I was drawn to them so much. It also explains why they are all so defensive when it comes to Rachel."

"Excuse me?" the diva questioned.

"They wanted to protect you and they knew that they could. It is ingrained in them. Their strengths, their powers, they couldn't deny them. Even though they didn't show any outward signs of their magic, they still had it. And in their own ways they manifested in your world," Danni stated.

Quinn smirked. She understood what Danni was saying. But, when she looked at Rachel, she could see the hurt on her face.

"That doesn't make you any less, Rachel."

"I have no powers," Rachel mumbled.

"Sure you do," Danni replied.

"What?"

"Your voice," Danni stated simply.

"It's true," Santana added.

"You can move people with your voice," Quinn said.

"You make people feel, from deep within their souls. You draw out passions with your songs, Rachel. Hell, you've made San cry on more then one occasion. Now, that's saying something," Brittany told her, taking Rachel's hand.

"So what you don't have magic, Rachel. It has never stopped you. You go after what you want and you get it. You fought tooth and nail to make sure that I was okay and you've never...ever...let me wonder if you loved me as a friend. You helped me find work and taught me to live again when I came back to New York this last time. So don't doubt your powers, Rachel. You have them and they are beautiful."

Rachel smiled at her. She didn't know when the conversation changed so drastically, but she knew that she needed to get back on point. She let go of Brittany's hand and took both of Danni's in her hands. Her mind was flooded with tales and information that she had managed to get from Belle and Regina. She looked to Regina and could see the worry in her dark eyes. She swallowed hard.

"That's not important now, Danni. You want to know what happened, and I'll tell you. Quinn and Santana went with the Will to find you that flower, to heal you. Yes, they stumbled upon the Randae and their plots against the throne or whatever for Ulfland, but that isn't the problem. On their search through the forests and mountains, they came across an unknown force," Rachel started.

Danni's whole face changed. She went from happy-ish to angry in a flash. Rachel could see the purple starting to swirl in her eyes. Brittany moved closer and put a hand on her shoulder, hoping to keep her calm. San and Quinn shared a look, wondering if they were going to have to fight their friend after all.

"Tell me," she demanded.

"They don't know who they are or where they are from, but they wear silver armor. It is highly polished and they are highly trained. They left the Randae in hopes to find the flower and to find out more information about this 'Silver Army.' In their travels, they hid. Quinn and Santana were ready to fight, but stayed hidden at Will's orders. It was then that they got to see Will in all her true Vulcannonian glory. Thankfully, they didn't have to fight, but they kept their guards up. Opting to forgo many things in order to find the flower and get home as quickly as they could to help you."

"What happened?"

"I was attacked while Will and Quinn secured the flower for you," San answered quietly.

Danni stood up, breaking free from Brittany and Rachel. The fire in her eyes was evident. They all took a step back to give her some room. Will jumped out of her chair and worked her way across the room and to Danni's side. Her hand went to her sword when she saw Danni's hands rise with fire in them. Rachel was the only one who didn't move now. She stood her ground in front of her, staring into her violent and fiery purple eyes.

"Rachel..." Quinn hissed as she reached out to stop her when Rachel took a step towards her.

" _Danyel Koraline Gallia, kuk in mir!"1_ Rachel called out _._

Danni turned her focus down to Rachel. The little diva didn't waver. She stood her ground in front of her. When Rachel reached up to touch her face, Danni pulled back. She was not deterred though and grabbed Danni forcefully by her cheeks.

" _Fokus aoyf mir. Das iz nisht ir. Kukn in meyn aoygn. Tsi ir viln zey tsu zen ir vi dem?"2_

" _Num,"_ Danni replied.

"Stay with me, Danni. Look at me. You are safe. We are safe. There is nothing that is going to hurt us. _Bleyb mit mir. Fokus aoyf mir. Das iz gut,"3_ Rachel told her, still holding her face.

Danni dropped like a ton of bricks onto her knees. Rachel descended with her, but didn't let her go. They were still staring into each other's eyes.

Regina and Emma moved around to join everyone else as they watched helplessly as Rachel calmed Danni down. Regina realized that Rachel had to have some sort of magic. Maybe she could glammar or something, but she was definitely more than just a voice by the way she was staring into Danni's eyes. She purposefully hadn't broken contact with her. Maybe that was it. Maybe she needed contact with a person to do something and that is why her powers hadn't manifested yet for them to see.

"She has magic," Regina breathed out.

They all looked to Regina. She just pointed to Rachel as she held Danni, never breaking their gaze. It looked like they were having a silent conversation. Quinn saw it. Will saw it. Emma wasn't sure that she understood it, but she saw it. Brittany and San just smiled as they watched Rachel work.

"Danni?"

" _Antshuldigt. Ikh kenen nisht… Ikh kenen nisht haltn zikh. Ikh kenen nisht helfn es. Bite helf mir. Hilf mir kemfn dem. Hilf mir kemfn di fintsternish, Rakhl."4_

Rachel nodded. A slow smile crossed her face. The purple, swirling fire in Danni's eyes disappeared.

" _Ikh shtendik vet, Danyel. Ir visn az. Khl ir hobn tsu ton iz fregn aun ikh vel,"5_ Rachel told her.

" _Dios mio,"_ Santana stated as Rachel finally let her go.

"Please, Rachel," Danni pleaded.

"We all will, Danni. You don't have to ask. We are here for you, remember?"

"Yes..."

"I know what you want to do, but you can't. You can't lose your head like that. Use your heart, Danni. I know that you want to go destroy this army, but we don't know anything about them or why they are here. You can't just go off half-cocked."

"I am not-" Danni started to say trying to defend herself.

"I know about George, Danni," Rachel said quietly.

Danni deflated again, but Rachel, with her deceptively strong arms, held her up, not daring to let her go. Danni closed her eyes, trying to hide the tears that were forming. Rachel removed her hands from Danni's face. She didn't move from her spot on the floor in front of her, though.

After a few moments, Rachel reached out and tipped Danni's head back up to meet her eyes. Her dark mahogany eyes reminded Rachel of Regina. Their was a quiet calm to them now, but she could still see the worry clouding them. Rachel held her eyes before speaking again.

"You are not the same person, Danni. You are better than that and you've proven that to everyone here. I know that you want to go off and do something, but we need to gather more intel. I will not allow you or anyone else to go out there without some sort of plan."

"But, I can handle them..."

"And, so can Will. But, that didn't stop them from shooting Santana and almost killing her. Why do you that San had such a limp when you woke? She risked her life for you and you didn't even know. You've fought through your anger before. I know that is why you left me in New York. You were afraid of me," Rachel told her.

"I wasn't afraid of you. I was afraid for you. I can't control it sometimes," Danni replied.

"That's a lie and you know it. You choose to give into anger and fear. You weren't afraid for me. I know that you wouldn't hurt. I know that you wouldn't hurt anyone in this room. You were afraid of how I would look at you if you did something to anyone else. I know that you almost beat that man to death in that alleyway, Danni. I knew what you did when you sent me away. I didn't want him to die and that is why I called the police. But, I also didn't want you to get into trouble, which is why I took you home. I wasn't going to let you get into trouble for helping me."

"I might have killed him," Danni said regretfully.

"You may have. We might never know, and honestly, I don't care. I do not condone violence and you know that, but that man tried to rape me and you stopped him. He knocked you out with a 2x4, but you didn't let that stop you. You fought him for me and I have tried to thank you for that everyday."

"You don't need to thank me for that," Danni murmured.

"And, you don't need to be afraid of your family. They know that the Darkness lives in you. Your mother, Regina, knows first hand how easy it is to give in, but you both fight it, handsomely. I know that you are scared because there maybe a threat in this Silver Army, but that doesn't mean that you get to go riding out there and destroy them," Rachel stated.

"I know."

"Then you will stand down and you will wait until your mothers have more information."

"But, how are we going to get it? I don't want anyone to risk their lives for something that I can do. I'm immortal now. I can go and get the information that we need."

"But, you don't trust yourself to get it, alone. And, Regina doesn't want to ask us for help. Will wants to go. Don't deny it, Wilhelmina. I can see it in your eyes. Regina doesn't want to lose you. Let Will go. Let Santana go. Let Quinn go. Stay here and prepare the troops if need be with your Ma, Emma. And do not for one second think that you are going to fight this alone. We are here for you and we will fight by your side if need be," Rachel told her.

"But, Rachel, you don't fight."

"I do for what I love."

1Yiddish for "Danielle Coraline Gallia, look at me!"

2Yiddish for "Focus on me. This is not you. Look into my eyes. Do you want them to see you like this?"

3Yiddish for " Stay with me. Focus on me. That's good."

4Yiddish for "Sorry. I can't… I can't stop myself. I can't help it. Please help me. Help me fight this. Help me fight the Darkness, Rachel.

5Yiddish for " I always will, Danielle. You know that. All you have to do is ask and I will."


	30. Chapter 30

**Chapter 30**

Nicola sat down in the room and waited for Shelby to get out of the shower. She sat for a few minutes before she needed to get up. She didn't like sitting still for long. She was up and looking out the window into the heart of the Atlanta.

She stared at the people moving who thought that their fairy tales were all just stories. They didn't know the half of it and she was glad that they didn't. They wouldn't understand, nor could they fathom the craziness and intricacies of magic. No, it was better off this way.

She shook her head. She should have given Rachel more of her time. She should have sought her out, regardless of Shelby's warnings. The girl needed to know who she was and what she could do. Now, thanks to her own talents, Nicola knew that Rachel was in the Enchanted Forest, with magic and no understanding. It was a recipe for disaster. She needed to find a way to get back, but she couldn't go thru Petra. She needed another way, but she didn't know of any.

"You're thinking too hard," Shelby said coming back into the room.

"I need to get to her before something happens."

"Like what?" Shelby asked her.

"She is in the Enchanted Forest, Shelby. She is in a land with magic. Her body will start changing because of my blood. She won't be able to escape and she won't understand it. I did as you asked and I left her alone because you gave her away. I watched her from afar, but I never believed in my wildest dreams that this would happen. And, trust me, I have had some insane dreams, especially about going home and taking you all with me. I know that it would be selfish of me and that you would all most likely hate me for it, but you can't blame me for wanting to go home," Nicola stated.

"I don't, Aunt Nick, but what can we do?"

"Call her," Nicola said.

"What?"

"Call her. I want to see what will happen when you do. I want to know how strong the magic is that is around her. If I am right, her body will be devouring it, soaking it up like a sponge. She is gifted Shelby and I don't know what her talents are. I need to get to her before they manifest completely."

"How?"

"I'll find a way. Do you remember the name of the town that she said she was going to? And what state is was in? I'll start there. I'll be able to track her better."

"Hold on, I might have written it down. But, then again, I think you said it again at the diner. It had something to do with stories or fables or something like that," Shelby answered.

"Storybrooke, ah, yes. I'll go there tomorrow. I'll book a flight from here to Augusta."

"And, what do you want me to do?" Shelby asked her.

"What you always do, Shelby. Perform. Beth is safe. I've seen to her as well. I'll find both Quinn and Rachel and I'll make sure that they are okay. I'll let you know as soon as I know something. But, do me a favor while I gone, will you?" Nicola inquired.

"Yes?"

"Be prepared to sit down with your daughter when she gets back to talk, and keep your phone on you. I have a crazy feeling that I am going to be calling you once I get to Maine. I am not going to let anything happen to her if I can help it. She doesn't need our family's curse hanging over her head there. I'll make sure to bring her home. I need to go. I need to get to her as soon as I can," Nicola told her.

"I will. Just please bring her back to me. I don't know what I would do if I lost her."

"Nor does she. I'll bring back her lover, too. Beth will need her mother to help her learn to deal with her powers when they develop. We have time. But, I need to go get Rachel."

Shelby pulled out her phone and called Rachel's cell while Nicola booked her flight and another rental car. She pulled out the mirror to figure out a general location for Storybrooke. She would start there. It was the only real clue that she had. It was the last place that Nicola noticed any trace of Rachel or Quinn. She hoped that it would lead her to a portal and a way back to the Enchanted Forest.

The more that Nicola thought about it, the more she worried how she would react once she was back. She hadn't been back to the Enchanted Forest in over two hundred years. It was hard to tell what would happen. She had been dealing without her powers for all that time. Well, all of them but her immortality. It was the only one that she couldn't turn off. Being pure Vulcannoian was a bitch sometimes, but she managed to hide. Moving a lot helped. It was hard, but she learned to deal with it quickly.

"She still hasn't answered," Shelby said dejectedly.

"I'll find her, Shelby. I promised my mother when I was young that I would never let my family suffer. I will find her. I'll bring her home."

"Why are you so afraid of her?" Shelby asked.

"It isn't Rachel that I am afraid of. It is what she might be able to do. She looks normal because her blood has been thinned. Hopefully, she won't inherit too much from my side of the family, but I can't be sure until I see her."

"Should I be worried?"

"Ever plan on going to the Enchanted Forest?"

"Not if I can help it. I think I'll just act on stage. Just make sure that both Quinn and Rachel are okay. I don't want to explain to Beth why her sister or her mother isn't going to be able to visit her anymore. I don't know about you, but I don't want to have to do that," Shelby stated.

"You won't."

Shelby watched her as she grabbed her phone and started towards the door. She didn't know what to do. Nick had never come without a reason and she was upset about Rachel being missing. It made Shelby's heart drop. She knew that it was more than Nicola was worried about Rachel. There was something more to it, but she knew better than to push her for answers. Nicola protected the family and no one ever questioned beyond what she told them. There was no need to and Shelby wasn't going to be the first one to do it.

"Do you have a picture of her?" Nicola asked.

"Of who?"

"Rachel," Nicola answered.

Shelby reached for her purse. She opened up her wallet and pulled out a few pictures. She looked through them quickly. She finally pulled out a picture of Rachel, Quinn and Beth together. Nicola took it and smiled.

"They are beautiful."

"They are," Shelby stated.

"I'll bring them home for her, Shelby. I'll do it. Continue trying to call her. If Rachel answers, don't forget to call me and let me know. Don't worry about them too much, Shelby. They'll be fine. You'll see. I'll bring them back…soon," Nicola told her as she opened the door.

Later as the sun came up over Atlanta, Nicola hoped that she would get to Maine on time. She didn't know what Quinn and Rachel had gotten into, but she knew that it had to do with magic. The whole thing stunk of it. She stared down at the planes and the tarmac and wondered if she still had enough power to get herself to this Storybrooke.

She decided not to chance it. She didn't need to be wasting her energy on that right now. She didn't know what she would be running into when she got to Storybrooke and finding it might prove to be difficult. She just hoped that once she got on the road from Augusta that she would be heading in the right direction. She didn't know anything about the town and no search that she did on the internet got her any closer. She would be doing this by feel and by intuition. She just hoped that it would be enough.

This wasn't the Enchanted Forest. This was Earth and it didn't play by the same rules. Hell, it didn't even have the same rules. Magic didn't really exist here and what bits of magic may have bled through from other realms was easily dismissed and thought of as divine intervention. Well, she needed some of that so called divine intervention if she was going to save her great-great-great-great-great-granddaughter, give or take a few greats.

* * *

Rachel was pacing back in forth in the library. Belle and Regina were watching her, unsure of what to say. Danni and Will both looked upset, but they were unwilling to stop the brooding brunette. Quinn and Santana were missing from this little get together and Brittany was with Ruby explaining their ideas for getting information.

Danni could hear Rachel as she started humming under her breath. She wondered if she actually realized that she was humming. She couldn't make out the song, but she knew that it didn't really matter. Rachel was angry. Danni could feel that anger rolling off of her and it was a feeling that she hadn't felt from Rachel since that night in the alley.

"Rach?"

"What?!" she snapped as she turned to face Danni.

"Why don't you sit down for a minute?"

"I can't."

"Why not?" Will asked her.

"Because my family is threatened by some unknown silver armored army and we are just sitting here doing nothing, no planning, no real strategy. We don't know what they want or why they are here. And, no one wants to talk about it. No one wants to face the fact that Santana almost died at their hands and we are just sitting here, hiding behind castle walls, doing nothing but staring at maps and reading books hoping that something might clue us in on who they are."

Regina bristled. Emma smirked at the pint sized diva, but everyone else gasped. But, Rachel didn't stop her pacing or waving her hands dramatically at the queens and Belle only to turn and pace again, with a humph every time. Danni finally couldn't take it anymore. She grabbed Rachel and pulled her out of the library to only she knew where.

Emma and Regina stared at Will, who just shrugged. They knew who Danni was, but then again they didn't. She had changed and the four women with her knew this person better than they did. They figured that Danni was taking her away to help her calm down.

"She has a point," Will stated.

Regina just looked at her harder. She couldn't believe that Will was siding with the younger brunette, but then again she could. Will was a warrior and she thought like a warrior. Regina was a queen, the mayor, and a sorceress. She had to think about the people and what was best for them. She didn't plan out wars and campaigns. That was Will's and Emma's job. She gave the authorization to fight and the means to do it. She didn't want a war. She was afraid of it.

"We don't know what they are or what they want," Emma said softly.

"I do not want to do anything that will lead to a war. So far they haven't attacked. They maybe just probing. We don't know," Regina stated.

"They shot Santana," Will added.

"I know that, but are we sure that they knew who she was? They could have thought that she was just a big wolf that was going to attack. We don't know. We weren't there when it happened. I cannot condone an action that will lead to war, Will. I know you want to go and I am almost inclined to let you, but we need to think this through first," Regina told her.

"Sitting here isn't doing anything either," Will stated as she got up to leave.

"Being angry isn't helping," Belle added.

"No, it isn't. But, I can't just sit here and wait for them to come knocking on our door. I know that you are afraid, Regina. I get it. I read Belle's books. I know that Danni is scared, too. I can see it in her eyes. She isn't going to stop trying to get your permission and when she doesn't get it and the need to protect this family becomes too great, she'll leave without it. We both know it. And, when that happens, I am going to follow her," Will replied and left the room.

"Is she right?" Emma asked Regina.

"Is who right?"

"Is Will right? Are you scared about this turning into a war? Is that why you don't want to act?"

Regina hung her head slightly. She didn't want to admit it. She was afraid. She didn't want Remy to grow up without them. She'd been cautious. She'd read Belle's stories, but it wasn't until she knew that they were actual history that her paranoia took over. She didn't want to lose her family. Even though she knew that Danni had taken the Darkness into herself and saved them, she couldn't help but wonder if that wasn't enough.

They were back in the Enchanted Forest. They had been for years, but they never knew why or how it happened. They had literally gone to sleep and woke up there. Regina had been searching for an explanation for years, but still had yet to find one that she would actually accept.

"Regina…" Belle stated bringing her back to the library in her castle.

"If I agree to sending a search party, will everyone back down about wanting to hunt the army down?" Regina asked them.

"No one said anything about hunting them down, Regina. We just want to know what they want. If we know what they want, maybe we can sway them to our way of thinking and have peace with them. I am not especially fond of war, but I don't want our people or my family to suffer because of some unknown menace. I think that we should at least figure out what they want. We don't even have to contact them. We'll send Will. She'll be able to get the intel we need," Emma told her as she held Regina's hand in her own.

"Will that be enough?"

"It'll have to be until we know more," Belle stated.

* * *

"Unhand me," Rachel demanded as she tried to pull away from Danni again.

Danni let her go. She knew that Rachel was mad, but that still didn't give the right to be disrespectful in front of the queens. She knew that Rachel was just being dramatic but there was something more to it. She couldn't put her finger on it, but she could sense that Rachel was changing. She had been since they got Quinn and Santana back. Danni couldn't put her finger on it, but she knew that Rachel was at war with herself.

"You don't condone violence, Little One," Danni told her.

"I don't, no, but they are threatening us. Why else would they be mounted and in armor so close to the kingdom? Why else would they be using silver? They know that your mothers are friends with the Wolves, Danni. They have to know that Ruby is your aunt and the leader of the Wolves. They may not have drawn Santana out while they were looking for the plant for your fever, but they didn't have to shoot her either. They choose to do it. They started this fight."

"Rach…"

"No, Danni, just no. Quinn is a freaking High Elf, whatever that means, and she can defend herself and this castle if need be. Santana is werewolf, so I don't need to elaborate on her prowess or powers. Brittany is an Empath and can control people's emotions. She can even talk with Ruby will she is in her coma or whatever. But me, I have nothing. I am nothing. I am just a singer and diva. I can't wield a sword. I can't shoot a bow. Hell, I can barely ride a horse. What am I supposed to do? Sit back and watch you all go fight while I sit her and worry. Yeah, no thanks. I can't do that. I won't do that. You are all my family and I refuse to sit back and do nothing," Rachel told her.

She was standing with her hands clenched by her sides. There was a fire in her Rachel's eyes that Danni hadn't seen before. She looked determined. She looked like she was going to do something that they would all regret, but Danni just couldn't stop her. She never could. Rachel had a way of getting what she wanted, even if it wasn't good for her.

"What do you want me do?" Danni finally asked her.

"Teach me," Rachel whispered her demand.

"Teach you what?"

"How to fight, how to ride, how to shoot…"

"Rachel…"

"No, Danni, no. Don't placate me. I am not a damsel, but I am certainly in distress. Help me help you. I can't help if I don't know how to fight. I can't help if I don't know how to ride. I can't help if I don't know how to shoot. Teach me, so I can help."

"…I don't think…"

"Then don't think about it. Just do it. Treat me like I am one of your soldiers. Train me."

"…this isn't a good…"

"I don't care, Danni. I am not going to sit back idly and watch you all fight. If you go, I go. We've always had each other's back. Why is this so different?" Rachel demanded to know.

"Because this isn't so game. This is real life fighting. People will get hurt and could die."

"I know that!" Rachel hissed as she got closer to Danni and almost in her face.

"You aren't going to give this up, are you?"

"Nope."

Danni took a deep breath and then let out a sigh. She knew that she had been beat. The little diva wasn't known to ever back down. If she wanted something bad enough, she go after it. If Danni wasn't willing to teach her, then she knew that she would find someone in the castle who would no matter if Danni, Emma, Will or Regina forbade it. Rachel would find a way. She always did. Danni could only hope that that tenacity would help her now.

"Fine."

"Good."

"But, we need to get you some new clothes," Danni told her.

"What's wrong with this dress?" Rachel asked her.

"What's right with it?" Danni replied as she walked away shaking her head.

* * *

Nicola arrived in Storybrooke late that afternoon. She was surprised to find it empty. She wasn't surprised to find out that no one outside of the town had ever heard of it. She used what little magic she had to find it once she got in the rental car. When she crossed the town border, things got weirder for her.

Magic flowed through her like she was in Petra or back in the Enchanted Forest. She'd been to Shangri-La, but even it didn't feel this good. And because of that, she was afraid. She wasn't afraid of what she might find. No, she was scared for Rachel and her friends. She wondered if they knew what they had stumbled into while they were here.

She could feel them. She could them all and it surprised her. But, she felt something else too. Something deeper, more familiar, but she couldn't pin it down. It was faint, very faint, but she could sense it like it had been there the day before.

She parked the car on the main street only to find out that it was Main Street. She went into the diner, but there was no one there. The grill and fryer had been abandoned, but none of the food had spoiled. She helped herself to a bear claw and went back to the street. She looked in both directions, up and down the street, before she leaned over and touched the asphalt.

When a glowing path appeared, she decided to follow it. She stopped in front of a large white house on Mifflin Street. She didn't know who's it was, but she decided that she needed to look around. Whoever's it was, they knew Rachel in some sort of capacity and she needed to know what. And, since there was no one in town, she couldn't get arrested for breaking and entering.

She walked around the house that was more like a palace until she found the room where the glowing trail stopped. It was in front of a large mirror. When she touched it, she could feel the magic flowing from it. She dropped her head and tried to push through it. Nothing happened, there was no magic left in the reflective glass.

She pulled out her cell phone and called Shelby. She didn't know what else to do. She'd found out where they'd gone, but it still didn't explain how they were in the Enchanted Forest. Nick knew that she would need to do more digging.

"Did you find them?" Shelby questioned as soon as she answered the phone.

"Not exactly," Nick replied.

"What the Hell does that mean?"

"I found out where they went and how they got to the Enchanted Forest, but I haven't found them. I don't have enough magic to open a portal. I can sense the magic of some very powerful beings in this town, but no one is here."

"I should be there with you," Shelby stated.

"And, what would you do, Shelby? Sing them to death? There is nothing that you can do. I'll figure this out. I'll bring her home. I will always protect this family!" Nicola stated.

"I know that, Aunt Nick, but she is my daughter…"

"I'll find her, Shelby. After all, I've done it before. I'll do it again."

"Bring them back to me," Shelby demanded, her voice breaking.

"I will, Little One. I will. Now, call your other daughter. Make sure that she is safe. I'll call you when I have more news. This town isn't that big, but I still have things that I need to explore," Nicola told her.

"Okay…"

"Shelby?"

"Yes, Aunt Nick?"

"I love you, Little One. I'll bring her…them home. She'll be safe. I promise."

"I love you, too, Aunt Nick. Thank you. Tell her I love her."

"I will," Nicola replied and hung up the cell phone.

She looked around the house. There were plenty of pictures, but it wasn't until she saw the picture of Will and Regina together that things started to make any sense. Then, there was another picture of Will, Regina, and another woman, dark and beautiful. She was softer than Regina and it made Nick cock her head.

"Oh, Felix…I see your spawn has had spawn and she is powerful, but that doesn't explain why my niece is with her. Wilhelmina…by the gods, girl, you've grown. Pyroxes better have a good explanation for this or I am going to have his head. Why is he aligning the kingdoms?"


	31. Chapter 31

**Chapter 31**

Danni wanted to laugh, but knew that she couldn't. Rachel wouldn't take too kindly to it. She knew that Rachel would go find Will and hope for better. She just looked so different in a pair of leather (and the amount of fight that it took to get her in them was almost too painful for Danni to even deal with) pants and a padded tunic. Danni wasn't going to take any chances on hurting the smaller woman.

"What?" Rachel finally asked when Danni's staring became too much for her.

"I am just trying to wrap my head around what you are wearing."

"Is this not the correct attire for a training individual?"

"Oh it is. It is just the fact that you are wearing it. I am surprised that you actually are."

"While I admit that this isn't fashionably appropriate for me, it is needed for my training. It is very flexible and I like the colors. They complement me. However, I still dislike the fact that you have given me leather to wear. I understand that it is necessary, but I can't believe that there isn't some form of alternative for me to wear," Rachel stated.

"There is," Danni replied holding back a grin.

"Then why do I have these?"

"Because it would be nothing," Danni added letting her grin go.

"Wait, what? It would be nothing. What would be nothing?"

"There would be no pants. Hence it would be nothing. You would have nothing to wear."

Rachel just stared at her for a moment. She took a deep breath and centered herself. She knew that she was in a different land. She would have to live by their rules. It didn't matter that she didn't believe in it. This was for her safety, so she would just have to deal with it.

"Very well, then. What should we start with? What do you want to teach me first?"

"What do you think that you would like to start with?" Danni asked as they walked through the armory.

She wasn't sure what she wanted to start Rachel on. This was her decision, so she wanted her to pick something. She couldn't really see Rachel welding a sword or a spear. A bow might be the way to go, but she wasn't sure that Rachel had the strength to pull the string back. Danni shook her head to herself. She watched as Rachel moved around the tables and stands looking at the weapons and hardware. This was not what Rachel should be doing and she knew it, but Danni knew that there was nothing she could do to convince her otherwise. She made a mental note to find Quinn and Santana to try to her help her with Rachel. She needed help and they were the only ones that could actually talk some semblance of sense in her.

"You're stalling," Rachel accused when she turned around to see Danni still standing there lost in thought and no closer to helping her pick a weapon to start training with.

"I am."

"Why?"

"Because you are a pacifist, Rachel. You don't believe in violence, but you want me to teach you how to hurt someone. War and weapons are all about hurting someone else in order to survive and protect your ideals and people," Danni told her.

"I understand that," Rachel stated.

"Do you?"

Rachel cocked her head at Danni. She might not understand what Danni was saying, but she wanted to protect her family. She wanted to help Danni and she couldn't see any other way to do it. She needed to be able to fight in order to help them strategize against the Silver Armored Army. It was bad enough that she wasn't being taken seriously here, but for Danni to not believe that she could handle herself hurt.

"Rachel, I am not trying to hurt you. I am not really," Danni told her as she handed her a spear, thinking that she could keep her further away from the death and pain with it. "Now, try to stab me with it."

"What?" Rachel asked, her eyes widening as big as she could make them.

"Stab me," Danni told her.

"I don't see the point of doing that."

"I know. Stab me. I want you to take that spear and stab me. Well, try at least," Danni pushed.

"Seriously, what would that prove?" Rachel questioned.

"I want you to stab me."

"I have no reason to stab you, Danni."

"You have no reason to?" Danni inquired as a mischievous smile crossed her face.

She dug in her right foot the dirt floor. She prepared her body for an assault as her mind began to come up with insults to hurl at Rachel. She knew that Rachel might very well hate her after this, but she knew that she would need it.

"That's right, you don't. This isn't your family. This isn't your fight," Danni started.

Rachel spun on her. There was a fire in her eyes. She held the spear, but still didn't make a move towards Danni with it. She stood firm. Danni knew that she struck a nerve.

"In the morning, I am going to send you all back home through the mirror. You've done too much. This is not where you are supposed to be. You belong on stage, Rachel and you know it. The Enchanted Forest isn't your home. There are too many things here that you don't understand. There are too many things here that can hurt you and you don't want to realize it."

"Because no one wants to teach us about it," Rachel countered.

"Because this is our world, our fight, our family. You are nothing here. You know that. That is why you are so angry. You need to go home, Rachel. You can't help. You'll just get hurt. Just leave it. This isn't your problem and this isn't going to work. You are too small to fight anyway. Why did you ever think that you could learn to fight? You don't have the build for it. You never have and you never will. Just go home, little girl," Danni said with as much venom as she could knowing that her words would cut deep.

She could see the anger rising in Rachel's eyes, but more importantly she could feel it in herself. She was riding that dangerous line between stability and evil. She knew what she was doing though. She was almost there. Just a few more barbs and Rachel would break. She just knew it.

"This isn't a stage, Rachel. People are going to get hurt. They may die and most of them will do it willingly. They have trained for years with their weapons. They've slept with them. They are an extension of their bodies. It is part of them and they are part of it. Most of them don't know anything else. You sing and dance. While the dancing might help you move on the battlefield, singing isn't going to do anything for you but get you killed. This isn't a game. This is life or death, Rachel. If you can't stomach the fact that I've asked you to stab me, then you are no use to anyone here. So either grow up and stab me or go the fuck home!" Danni stated.

That was it. Rachel had it. She spun the spear around and took two steps towards Danni before she jabbed at her. It was full of anger and not very coordinated, but it was valiant attempt.

Danni knocked the blow to the said, grabbing the spear and pulling Rachel towards her. When Rachel got close enough to her, she jerked the spear away from her and threw it somewhere behind her. With Rachel off-balance, she spun her around and grasped her around the waist.

Rachel actually growled. Danni fought hard from laughing at her, because she wasn't sure how Rachel would react in her ire. Rachel had never been really angry around her before. This was uncharted territory, but she knew that it was important. Rachel needed to learn that anger wasn't a useful tool in a fight.

"Why?" Rachel asked as she began to calm down.

"Why what, Rachel?" Danni replied in question.

"Why did you do that?"

"Do what? Push you? You needed it, Rachel. You needed to feel the anger in order to know that you can't use it in a real fight. Anger is your enemy. It makes you not think clearly. And when you don't think clearly, you get hurt."

"I understand that," Rachel stated.

"Do you? You still tried to attack me. You let your anger take over. I could have really hurt you, but I knew what you would do. I know you, Rachel and this isn't you."

"Would you really send me home?" Rachel asked her.

"If it comes down it, yes, I will," Danni answered as she let her go.

"Why?"

"Because I care too much for you. I can't die. That is a bonus of being the Dark One, I'm immortal here. I can't die. There is nothing that can hurt me. I can do things here that I can't back in New York, Rachel. Just like there are things that you can do in New York that I can't. I am not trying to make you feel bad but you can't fight. This isn't your fight."

"But, it is," Rachel stated with as much conviction as she could.

"Why is it? Rachel, explain it to me. Tell me why you think you have to fight."

"You know why," Rachel replied.

"No, I really don't. I have an idea why you think that you have to, but it is just an idea that you have come up with. It is the same idea which made all of you follow me here. This isn't your fight, Rachel. It never was. I know that you took care of me when I landed, literally, in New York, but this isn't your fight. I know you want to help. I understand that, but you don't have the training, knowledge of this world or the understanding of magic that I do. I can't teach you that in a few days, Rachel. It takes years to do all that and we don't have that kind of time."

"Find a way then."

"You aren't going to give this up are you?"

"No."

Danni sighed. She looked down at the spear on the ground. She knew that Rachel wasn't going to have the stomach for battle or death. She needed to find another way to teach her.

"I don't know what to do," Danni admitted.

"About what?" Rachel asked.

"The blood and gore, Rachel. I know that you aren't going to be able to handle it. And, if for some reason, you do manage to end up the battlefield, I'll be more worried about you than the enemy. That isn't good for anyone."

"I can handle the blood."

"Really?" Danni asked as she reached down and picked up the spear.

She placed the spear head in her tummy. She moved just enough that she smacked Rachel against her hip with the spear's pole. Rachel grabbed the pole to stop it from hitting again when she noticed that Danni was moving it out to try to hit her with it again. She held it tightly as she felt Danni moving it more.

"Do it," Danni demanded.

"Do what?"

"Stab me."

"No."

"Prove that you can handle the blood, Rachel. Stab me. Do it!" Danni commanded.

Rachel faltered a bit with spear. Danni could see it in her eyes. She wanted to drop it, but Danni couldn't let her. She needed to know what she was in for. Danni kept jarring the pole and trying to disarm her, while she kept the spearhead in her gut, hoping that Rachel would do something.

"I'm not understanding why you think this will help me!" Rachel yelled at her, gripping the pole harder and trying to not push forward too much.

"JUST DO IT!" Danni shouted at her.

It was just at this time that Quinn and Santana came back from the training fields with Will coming in just behind them. She looked like she a missive from Regina in her hands. She could see the concerned looks on their faces, but the glance that Danni gave Will made them all pause just out of Rachel's eyesight.

"What is she doing?" Quinn asked Will as she never broke her gaze from the women before them.

"She is trying to prove that Rachel doesn't have the stomach for war."

"The Hobbit will surprise you," Santana murmured.

Will looked at the Latina. She didn't question what she said. She was questioning the conviction that Santana said it with. She didn't doubt any of them. She couldn't because they had been with Danni for so long, but Rachel seemed to be the wild card. She knew that was why Danni was in the armory with her pushing her to her breaking point.

"YOU WANT TO SAVE THEM?"

"Yes!" Rachel answered.

"PROVE IT."

"I won't hurt you."

"BECAUSE YOU ARE WEAK. YOU CAN'T DO IT. YOU ARE BUILT FOR WAR, RACHEL. GIVE IT UP. YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO PROTECT THEM."

"I COULD!" Rachel shouted back in defiance.

"PROVE IT. HURT ME. PROTECT THEM. I AM THE ENEMY. I AM THE DARK ONE. I COULD DESTROY ALL OF THEM WITHOUT THOUGHT. IT WOULDN'T EVEN EFFECT ME. COME ON, RACHEL. DO SOMETHING. HURT ME."

Quinn started to move towards her. She didn't want to see this. She didn't want Rachel to do this. She knew that Rachel would do something she hated if she thought that she had to, but this was too much. No one should have to deal with things like this.

"COME ON, YOU LITTLE MIDGET, DO SOMETHING. BE BIG AND BAD LIKE YOU WANT TO THINK YOU ARE. BEING A BROADWAY DIVA ISN'T GOING TO SAVE LIVES HERE. IT WILL GET THEM KILLED. HERE WE ARE WARRIORS, SORCERERES, AND FANTASITIC CREATURES. SO SHOW ME HOW YOU GOING TO SAVE THEM. PROTECT THEM AGAINST ME."

"There is no threat here, Danni. Yelling at me isn't going to make me hurt you. I will be ready to defend my family when the time comes, if need be, but I need you to teach how," Rachel said.

"So, you need better motivation? Fine. I'll give it to you."

Will's heart sank as she saw the fire growing in Danni's eyes. She had an idea what Danni was about to do, but she was powerless and too slow to stop it. Santana figured it out too late, but she still managed to phase into her Wolf form just as Danni moved. Quinn just watched in awe, dumbstruck by the display of power and too worried about Rachel to do anything.

Danni let go of the spearhead with her right hand as she lifted Santana and Will off the ground. She knew that they would be the first ones to react. She held them above Rachel's head, even though she didn't see them. Finally, she raised her other hand and pulled Quinn towards her against her will. She saw Quinn flailing and she turned her swirling eyes to Quinn's brightly turning green eyes. She whispered something to the Elf as she spun her around, pulling the slightly smaller woman into her chest.

She got the reaction she wanted. Rachel gasped. She tightened her grip on the spear so much that her knuckles were turning white.

Mumbling some words in Quinn's ears, she felt her finally relax against her. She raised her fiery eyes to the Wolf and Vulcannonian and whispered more enchantments. They floated closer to Danni and then behind her where Rachel could see them.

"SAVE THEM, RACHEL!" she commanded with the voice of the Dark One.

Quinn's body shivered at the malice in her voice. Will visibly cringed, but said nothing. Santana looked on with her golden eyes waiting for a moment to pounce. Rachel's body was vibrating. She couldn't hide the fear in her eyes.

Danni was beyond proving her point and she knew it, but in the moment, she couldn't stop. The Dark One had been slightly unleashed and it wasn't going to go back without playing some. She knew that it was a dangerous move, but she knew it needed to be done. She just hoped that they would all be able to forgive after it was all over.

Quinn didn't fight her as she held her close. She knew that the sight was very disturbing for the petite diva, but she was actually powerless to stop it. She tried resisting the more agitated that Rachel got, but it was to no avail. Danni had her trapped. She was sure that it was magic by the smell of it, but she knew that if Rachel actually charged, Danni would push her away and let her go. She wouldn't let any of them get hurt. She was trying to prove a point to Rachel and she was actually keeping them all safe. This would break the diva, but they would all be there to help her pick up the pieces in the end. She knew that was why Danni was doing it, here, now.

"SAVE THEM!" she shouted at her again.

Rachel was hesitating. Her body was going into fight or flight and she knew it. All she wanted to do was yell at Danni and tell her to stop. She'd made her point. She could let them go, but she would do it. She called down into that base part of human nature.

Danni saw the change in her eyes. The sadness and fear disappeared. A sad, sick smirk crossed Danni's face and that was Rachel's breaking point.

She dug her right toes into the dirt to get traction. Her left foot moved slightly forward and did the same thing. Danni knew that Rachel had taken dance and practice stage fights while at NYADA, but this wasn't the same. This was real life. Someone could actually get hurt. When Rachel had her balance over her knees and the spears tucked securely to her side, she readied her mind for the charge that she was going to make.

Danni saw the telegraphed move. In a flash, she threw Quinn to the side as Rachel charged, screaming at the top of her lungs. Danni knew that the entire castle would be able to hear her.

Rachel for her part couldn't stop as soon as she started. She watched as Danni tossed Quinn to the side, but the damage was done. She'd sunk the spear into Danni's torso, but she hadn't stopped at the spearhead. She'd run Danni through almost completely down the pole to where her hands were sitting. She felt the sickly, sticky, warm feeling on her hands as Danni bled mere inches before her. She met her violet eyes with her own black.

Seconds later, she let go of the pole and backed away. Terror filed her eyes as she thought that she'd taken Danni's life. She fell to the ground. She saw as Santana and Will were lowered to the ground gently. Danni backed away from her, spear still buried in her stomach, before she tumbled to the ground. Quinn rushed to Rachel's side as she heard the death knell breathing coming from their friend just a few feet away.

Santana put herself between Will and Danni, and Rachel and Quinn. She didn't know who to check on first. Will was already at Danni's side. She was giving them a smile and laughing, as she continued to cough up blood.

"She did good," Danni said.

"Does it hurt?" Will asked.

"Like Hell. Do be a dear, though, and pull that thing out. I can't heal with it there."

Will nodded. She reached down and broke the pole to make it easier. She wrapped both hands around the now broke spear and pulled it out of Danni's stomach. There was a flash of light and a burning smell. Then, Danni sat up unscathed. She maneuvered herself up onto her knees.

She could see the hatred and the fear in the other women's faces. It was in that moment that she looked up and saw Brittany looking at them. She didn't look happy, and Danni knew it was her fault. She would deal with their wrath, but now, Rachel knew what taking a life felt like.

"I'm sorry, Rachel."

Rachel just looked at her. She didn't know what to say. Her hands were still covered with Danni's blood. She was in shock. She couldn't believe that she had just stabbed her.

"Take her back to the suite. Stay with her. Clean her up. You can all say what you want to me later and I'll understand. Right now, I need to get away from here. The Darkness…. I just have to go. Just know that I did this to save her from herself," Danni told them as she rose to her feet.

She didn't miss the raising of Quinn's sword or the almost silent growl that Santana gave her. She met their eyes and tried to issue an apology, but she knew that it would fall on deaf ears at the moment. It was surprisingly Brittany who stepped forward to calm the tension between them.

"Let her go. She needs time. As do we. She didn't hurt her, San. She made her realize what she was asking to learn. We don't think about it because we've never had to fight on for something this large or to this degree. We've always dealt with words or slushies. This is actual battle, with wounds and death," Brittany told them, before turning back to Danni. "Go calm yourself and get the magic out. We'll talk later. I know you'll need it."

Danni shook her head before hanging it. She walked out the armory only to see Regina and Emma standing in the courtyard. Her shame became greater at the sight of her mothers.

Brittany led the other women out. When her mothers saw the blood on Rachel's hands and then noticed the giant blood spot on Danni's tunic, they could only imagine what their daughter had done. And, then seeing the bewilderment in the four women's eyes only cemented their thoughts. When Emma moved to go to Danni, Brittany stopped her with a mere touch and a look. The blond Savior wasn't happy, but in her heart, she knew that Brittany was right. Danni needed time to process what she had done as well. Regina knew that the Darkness had pushed her to a degree, but it had ultimately been Danni reacting in order to protect Rachel. She knew that the other women would come to that conclusion but it would take time.

Danni was almost to the castle gate and her mounted horse when there was blinding flash of light. She conjured a sword in one hand and a fire ball in the other as she turned to face whatever the threat was. She was always prepared.

Her eyes grew as she saw a small statured woman, no taller than her mother Regina, stand up and brush herself off. She was dressed in jeans and a Wicked T-shirt. Any other day, Danni and company would be amused, but due to the events of the day and their stress over the Silver Army, the newcomer wasn't a welcomed sight.

"Can I help you?"

"Who are you?" the woman asked.

"I am Princess Danielle Coraline French, Princess Royal of the Enchanted Forest, and you?"

"Princess Royal, eh? Then we have something in common. Oh, please put the weapons away, I am not going to hurt you. I am simply looking for my relation. Once, I know that she is safe, I will be on my way with her and you can go back to your storybook life," the woman told her.

"I think not. I am sworn to protect this house and everyone in it, regardless of their relation to me or my family. So, again, I ask for your name, stranger," Danni stated very authoritatively.

Will was resisting her body's want to "hulk" out as she left Rachel, Santana, Brittany, and Quinn's sides in order to be of help to Danni if need be. Regina was moving to not put anyone in her magical cross fire should things go awry. Emma drew the sword at her side, but waited to see what was going to happen. She slowly made her way to Danni's side.

"Before I answer, who is your mother?"

"Why do you need to know?"

"Just curiosity," the stranger told her.

"I am," Emma stated stepping closer to Danni.

The stranger regarded her. She shook her head. And then looked around at the gathering of people now surrounding them, some waiting for orders, others waiting to see what was going to happen between them all. And, that is when she spotted not only Regina, but Rachel as well.

"Don't care. You have my granddaughter there. I merely want to take her back with me."

"Who is your granddaughter?" Emma aske looking back that four friends of Danni.

"The petite brunette named _Rahkel Beri_ ," the stranger replied.

They all turned to look at Rachel. She was still trying to deal with the trauma of hurting Danni that she hadn't heard what the woman said. She looked up into Danni's pleading eyes and felt Will move closer to her as Quinn and Santana took another step forwards in defence.

"Wilhelmina?" the stranger called out in question.

Then all eyes were on the Vulcannonian. She left Rachel in Brittany's care as she moved again towards Danni and to get a better look at the stranger. The closer she got, the more she realized that she knew the woman before her. It had been many years, but it was her and recognized her.

"Aunt Nicola?" Will asked as she reached over for Danni to drop her sword to a more non-threatening stance, and continued past the Dark One to make sure that she was correct.

"It has been a long time, Wilhelmina."

"It has, Aunt Nicola. I thought you were dead like the rest of the Vulcannonians. How did you get here?" Will asked her.

"Funny you should ask that…I went through a looking glass in a big black and white mansion."

There were collective gasps behind them. Nicola looked around them at Rachel and then noticed the blood. Will could see the fire in her eyes start to grow.

"EVERYONE STAND DOWN!" Will called out.

"Will, who is that?" Regina questioned from her position.

"My Queen, I would like to formally introduce you to my aunt, Princess Royal of Vulcannon and General of the Vulcannonian Fire Legions, Nicola Fayer, sister of Pyroxes the Great. Aunt Nick, I would like to introduce you to my Queens, Regina Swan, daughter of Cora Mills and Prince Henry, fifth son of King Xavier, son of King Felix of Florin. She is the Queen of the Winterlands. And, my Queen Emma Swan, daughter of King David Charming and Queen Snow White of the Summerlands, daughter of Leopold and Ava White of the Winterlands. Both of which I serve with my life as Vulcannonian knight to families of the House of Swan, the House of Mills, and the House of White," Will stated between them.

"Pleasure to meet you, Highnesses."

"And, you as well, Princess Nicola," Regina replied before asking. "You're looking for Rachel? What business do you have with her?"

"She is my descendent and she doesn't belong in this world anymore. I have come to take her home to her mother and to her sister. They are worried about her," Nicola told them.

"Beth?" Quinn asked.

"Ah, there's the High Born mother," Nicola replied as she bowed her head to Quinn.

"What about Beth? What happened to Beth? And, what do you know?"

" _Mir zenen di mentshn fun fayer aun zi tut nisht visn vos zi ken ton aoyb zi gevalt. Zi iz Vulcannonian, aun deyn kuzine, Wilhelmina. Helf mikh mit etvas,*"_ Nicola stated.

"She doesn't know?" Quinn and Will both asked at the same time.

"No, she doesn't. Shelby didn't want her to know. I didn't want her to know. She shouldn't have come here. I can't stop her from becoming what she was meant to be," Nicola told them.

"And, what is that?"

"The Princess Royal General of Vulcannon, leader of the Fayer Legions, and an heir to the throne should Pyroxes' line falter…it is her destiny, besides her voice…" Nicola answered.

*"She is from the People of Fire, and she doesn't know what she could do if she wanted. She is Vulcannonian, and your cousin, Wilhelmina. Help me with this."


	32. Chapter 32

**Chapter 32**

Emma, Will, Danni and Nicola were the only ones still in the courtyard. It was still very tense between them all. None of them were sure what to do with the other.

Emma and Danni were talking low about the state of affairs, but Danni kept shooting looks at Nicola. She wasn't sure what to think of Will's aunt, especially since she didn't look much older than herself. Then she would look at Emma and shake her head. She didn't know what to do. She needed to protect her family and this realm from whatever the Silver Army was and wanted, but she didn't know how to do it without pissing her mothers off.

Will and Nicola just stared at each other for a few minutes. Nicola smiled at her niece, but she knew that Will was troubled by her existence. She didn't know how to make things right, but she knew that she would support her in any decisions that she made, and Will knew that because she was now the official Queen of the Vulcannonians even though she hadn't be crowned.

It made her wonder though. If Nicola had survived Rumple's plague, how many others had? How many were living in other realms because they were afraid to come home because of the illness? How many would be willing to come back? Could they start over?

"Don't worry too long on it," Nicola told her.

"Worry on what?"

"Going home. I won't be. I don't live there anymore, but if for some reason you did need me, I would help you. Not only because I am your aunt and you are my family, but because it is my birthright to do so. I support the Crown of Vulcannon, no matter who sits upon its throne. And, now, you are the Queen," Nicola told her.

"I am no queen. I am a knight and a Princess Royal. I was never meant to lead except in battle."

"Pyroxes did you a disservice, my darling niece," Nicola replied shaking her head.

"He loved me," Will stated in defense of her father.

"He sent you away, just like he did me. You are more like me than you'll care to admit. The Fates gave you more than he ever did. It doesn't matter that he gave you life, girl. Look around you. Do you see what he actually gave you?"

Will looked around the courtyard. She saw Regina's castle surrounding her. Here she had a purpose, a life, a family to bond with. She was young when she was given to Snow, but she had to admit that she felt more at home with Snow than she did in her own nation. She wasn't sure that she wanted to go home and rule over a vacant people. She was learning now, that she was happy where she was, and she was just learning the fact that maybe Regina had saved her after all. She looked at the castle again. This was her life now. If she was going to be Queen of the Vulcannonians, then she would do so from here. This was her home.

"He didn't just give me life. He gave me meaning and a charge. He also gave me a mission, which I still haven't failed at and I don't intend to fail. I may be the so-called Queen of Vulcannon now, but I am still the subject of Queen Regina of the Winterlands, and the protector of the Houses of Swan, Mills, and White. My purpose is here."

"And, what of your people?"

"Dead."

"And, what of your lands?"

"In ruin," Will stated.

"Have you not been home since you left, girl?" Nicola asked her before shaking her head.

Emma and Danni were still watching, unsure of what to say or do. Will seemed to be getting more agitated by her aunt the more she spoke and Danni wasn't willing to allow her to get close to Rachel without proof of who she really was. Emma didn't want to start a fight between them, but she could see that both Danni and Will, who were both protective of Rachel, seemed to be wary of the new woman.

"Will?" Emma asked hoping to break the tension between everyone.

"Yes, Emma?" Will replied as she turned to face the blonde.

"Shall we prepare rooms for your aunt or will she stay in yours?" Emma questioned.

She could see the fire in Will's eyes that had quiet dissipated from her earlier dealings with Rachel. She knew that the younger girl was being looked after by her friends, but she was worried about what it would mean for them all now that Will's aunt had shown up and claimed to be Rachel's kin. She knew that Will being a protector and knight of the realm would want to have her enemies closer to her. She wondered if that included her aunt.

"She can stay with me. Goddess knows that you have given me more than enough room in the castle. If she can't be comfortable there, then she can find her own lodging elsewhere," Will stated, finally sheathing her sword and turning towards the castle proper.

"Am I supposed to follow her?" Nicola called after Will's retreating form.

"That is entirely up to you," Danni told her as she turned back to Emma. "I am going to check on Rachel. Hopefully the shock of earlier won't keep her down too long, but we shall see. If you have any more news on the Silver Army, let me know."

"I am sure that your mother will have another war council later," Emma told her.

"I'm sure she will. But, nevertheless, I want to know as soon as you do. There are things that I can do…that I am willing to do in order to main this family and our peace."

"I know, Danni, but we won't ask that of you. I'm going to check on your aunt. I'll see you a dinner. Lady Nicola, welcome to the Winterlands. I hope that your stay is…uneventful," Emma said as she followed her daughter into the castle leaving Nicola standing there alone in the courtyard, completely out of place in her jeans and t-shirt.

Nicola stood there for a few moments as the rain began to pelt her. She looked up at the sky and welcomed the warm rain as it covered her. She was happy to be back in the Enchanted Forest, back in Fairy Tale Land, back in this realm. This was her home. This was her birthplace, but she had never made a life there. A her great-granddaughter was proof of that. Rachel was the reason that she came back. Her job had been to protect the portals to their realm and make sure that no one crossed without permission.

Somehow, she'd failed that mission. She knew that it wasn't her fault. Rumple had caused the curse to happen. She'd read the histories that came through Petra's gates, but she knew that they were just the words. Seeing the royal families working together and seeing her niece at their side, she knew that Will had really found her place. She was a guard and her niece was as well, just in a different way, but they were both securing the future of the realm and their people.

The rain grew harder and she still didn't move from the courtyard. She wanted to check on Rachel but she doubted that her friends or Will would let her close enough to see her. She had information on the leader of the Silver Army, if he was who she thought he was and it only meant trouble for them all.

She began to pace, but made no move to find shelter. The rain caused her hair to plaster to her head as rivulets of water cascaded off her. She turned around in the mud and looked at the stone surrounding her. She could see it. She could feel it. These people would fight to the last dying man to protect each other and their throne. It wasn't just a loyalty that they had garnered. It was a familial camaraderie and one that even she had to respect. She was in Will's world now.

She wasn't startled when the rain around her stopped. She could see it still pelted the ground, but she was no longer getting wetter. Not long after the rain stopped, she felt herself getting warm and her clothes dried. She turned back to face the main portal door to the main part of the castle and saw Regina standing there.

They regarded each other for a few minutes. They didn't say anything. Just stared at each other like they were trying to determine who would make the first move. Both of them were wary of the other, knowing the power that they possessed, but also hoping that they wouldn't use it.

"I see that you don't have the sense to come in out of the rain either," Regina stated, still watching her carefully.

"I wouldn't say that. It has just been so long since I've enjoyed a good rain storm here in the Enchanted Forest. It is very cleansing. Don't you think?" Nicola questioned.

"It can be."

"What can I do for you, my Queen?" Nicola asked, still standing on protocol.

Regina smiled at her. She knew that Nicola was only asking to be polite. She really didn't care. She was more worried about Will and Rachel than anything else at the moment. She also knew that she would do anything that she had to in order to get the answers she wanted and Regina couldn't and wouldn't blame her for that. Regina knew that she would have to extend an olive branch of sorts, but they could help each other. She just needed to make Nicola understand how that would be beneficial for them both.

"I don't think that we need to stand on aires, Nicola. I certainly don't except at court. Now, that you are here and you are understandably worried about my daughter's friend, Rachel, who you say is your granddaughter of sorts, I am wondering what you want to do."

"I want to take her back to Storybrooke or New York. She doesn't belong here. She doesn't understand what her powers are or what she is actually capable of doing. She is in danger here and I am not sure that anyone can honestly protect her. But, she is a princess in her own right and Will is her queen and cousin by blood. I cannot go against Wilhelmina's wishes as I am still a servant to the Crown of Vulcannon," Nicola told her.

"And, if Will forbids you from seeing her?"

"Then, I cannot unless someone else is with her or more specifically if Wilhelmina is with her."

"Do you think that she would go that far?" Regina asked her.

"Depends on your daughter."

"What does Coraline...Danni have to do with this?" Regina demanded to know.

"She seems to carry some sort of heavy weight with my kin. I don't know what happened between them but there is a bond that even blood cannot destroy. Am I thankful that she has that? Yes, but it also frightens me."

"Why?"

"Because she is Vulcannonian."

"You think that she has come to some sort of agreement with Danni?"

"Unconsciously, yes, I do. And, with that, the bond is unbreakable until Danni releases her. I am not even sure that they know it. They both seem devoted to one another like soul mates, but they are not in love with each other. I can see that much. The elf loves her. I could see the fire in her eyes. And, Wilhelmina...she is stricken by your daughter in a way that only Vulcannonians can be. I've seen the look before in my own eyes."

"Do you approve of those matches?"

"It isn't for me to say. I can't override a Vulcannonian heart, not would I go against my Queen. No matter what Wilhelmina wants, she is the only living heir of Pyroxes and as such is the Queen of Vulcannon. I will serve her like I have the Crown for years. If she wishes to rule by staying here, that is her prerogative and I will support it. If for chance something happens that prevents her from her duties, then it will fall to me to rule, unless she has child I don't know about," Nicola answered.

"There is no child."

"Then, I am her heir."

"You don't sound too happy about that."

"I have two living heirs that don't know about this world completely. No, I am not happy about it. They aren't full Vulcannonians, but they do display some of the traits. Their blood hadn't been activated, until now. Rachel will stop aging soon if I don't get her out of here. I don't think that she if prepared to be immortal. She wasn't raised in that fashion. Her mother didn't think about her actions completely when she gave her up for adoption. Yes, she was helping a couple that couldn't have children have a child, but that child would never know the power of the blood that runs through her veins. I have watched her since I knew of her birth and she never knew. I was never far away unless I was in Petra protecting the gate. She didn't need to know about her heritage then. Now...now, she does."

"You serve Wilhelmina's wishes, no matter what they are?" Regina questioned.

"I must. I have no other contract, but to the throne of Vulcannonian. Whatever she wishes of me, I will do," Nicola answered.

"So, if she gave me contract over you, you would have to answer to me?"

"Yes, but I doubt she would do that."

"I know she wouldn't."

"Why are you so sure of that?" Nicola asked her.

"Because I released her from her contract to me. She stays because she is comfortable here. And, she hoped that Danni would return to us. She has, but I don't know that she'll stay if Danni chooses to go back to the Land of No Magic."

"You want them to stay?"

"I want my daughter to be happy. She hasn't had that in her life. She has constantly been fighting for this family and I know that she is tired. I want her to be happy. I want her to have everything that she wants. I want to be in her life. If that means I have to give her up to a world with no magic, I will. I know that she carries the burden of the being the Dark One with her, but she fights that darkness everyday. She is stronger than it is. She's proven that on more than one occasion, but she fears herself. In any other case, I would be worried for her. But, I am not. I know that her fear is well placed. She doesn't want to give into the temptation that magic provides for her. I applaud her for that. I know her being here is a constant struggle, but she has your granddaughter and her friends. Are the a strange bunch together? Yes, but they care for each other like sisters and they will fight to the death for each other. Rachel has already proven that. Unfortunately, you can in at the tail end of that lesson," Regina explained.

"Meaning?"

"Wilhelmina wanted her to know what it was like to kill someone."

Nicola's eyes burned with fury. She never wanted Rachel to know that pain or that anguish. But, she couldn't approach Wilhelmina about it without defying her. She would however talk to her niece about her approach to the subject.

"She learned that she can't stomach it, Nicola. Will was doing it for her own good. Rachel is too innocent for the pain that death causes. She was trying to make her see that."

"And, that is where I came in?"

"Yes," Regina stated as she pointed across the court yard towards the armory.

Nicola nodded, understanding that Regina wanted to sit. The warmth and the absence of rain followed them as they moved to a small wooden bench just outside the armory. They both sat down with little fanfare.

"And, that is why Danni closed ranks?"

"Yes," Regina replied.

"Your daughter is a warrior?"

"She had to be."

"She is not from our time?"

"It is a long story, but no, she isn't. She is from another time line and her coming changed a lot of her history. That is why she is so protective of us, and Rachel. She doesn't want anyone to suffer like she has," Regina replied.

Nicola could hear the pain in Regina's voice. She knew that the Dark One had suffered. She could feel it herself when they were together earlier. But to see the anguish in the High Queen's features, Nicola knew that Danni had almost broken. She could feel the strength from Regina and she'd felt it from Emma as well. She knew that together their daughter, Danni, had to be strong. And, possessing the powers of the Dark One but not fully succumbing to its awesomeness, Nick had to give her props.

"She is strong, Regina. Even I can feel that. But, what about Rachel? What happened between them? Why are they so close? Why is she so protective of her?"

"I am not sure that it is my place to say, but Danni saved Rachel when she ended up in New York through a portal of her own making. In turn, Rachel saved her, taught her how to live in that world, and made her a friend. The other three took to her because of Rachel. As time past and their relationship grew, the five of them became stronger together. Eventually they all went into a very profitable business together. They've won awards and are very good for each other. The each have their own weaknesses and strengths, but they compliment each other. Where one is weak, another is strong," Regina told her.

"I can see that."

"They close ranks quickly. Even, Will has issues getting close to them sometimes. I am sure that it isn't because they don't trust her. They just don't know what to do with her. It isn't everyday that your one single friend turns out to be a magical being and her lover, her soul mate, her True Love, just happens to be an immortal from a magical world, too. They are still trying to process everything, but I think Will's demonstration didn't help at all."

"Do you think-" Nicola started to ask before she was interrupted.

Regina stood up. Will and Danni were both before them. Will had changed out of her bloody clothes and Danni was just in a dark tunic and a pair of leather pants. Both of them were in high black leather boots. The Swan-Mills(-White) crest was obvious on both of their clothes.

"Aunt Nick," Will started in addressing her.

Nicola quickly jumped up off the bench and bowed to her niece. Danni had to keep herself from chuckling because she knew that Will was hating this new upgrade in status. Regina just grinned at the measure, but waited stoically for Danni or Will to address them.

"Rachel is upset right now and she doesn't know what to do. She is...apprehensive about meeting you. She has issues when it comes to family. Don't think that reflects on anything you did. It doesn't. She is just cautious by nature when it comes to relatives," Will stated.

"I understand that. I really do. I don't want to upset her. I want to explain things to her."

"And, what would you explain?" Danni asked.

"I just want her to know about her heritage. If she chooses not to embrace, that is her choice. However the longer she stays here, the harder it will be for her to age."

"I don't think that it will be a problem due to her being Quinn's True Love. Quinn is a high elf and will not be aging anymore or as quickly. But, I am still leaving that decision up to them. I am not going to interfere. It is a lot for her to take in this quickly," Danni stated.

"I appreciate that as well. I also appreciate everything that you have done for her, Dark One. If there is anything that you need, I am at your service as long as it doesn't go against my niece's wishes," Nicola told her.

Will and Danni looked at each other. There was a quick exchange between them. Regina wasn't sure if Nicola caught it, but she did. She could also see the look of determination on her daughter's face. Whatever it was, she knew that Danni was about to propose something and Regina wasn't sure that she would like it.

"I have an idea, but it would be for my Queen's approval," Danni stated.

Regina watched her. She narrowed her eyes and wondered at what her daughter was playing at. She couldn't think of anything that Danni would outright do to challenge her, but she knew that she could and would win if Danni tried. She admired her daughter and her restraint because it was something that she didn't show at that age.

"What is it?" Regina asked, not with her full venom, but enough for Danni to understand that she was skating on thin ice.

"I want to go find this Silver Army."

"No."

"Hear me out, first, please," Danni stated.

Regina stared at her. She knew what Danni's position was on the Silver Army. But, Regina wasn't ready to start a war that she didn't know that could win. She didn't want to order her men to their possible deaths without a reasonable expectation that it was for the best of the realm.

"What would you like to do?" Regina asked as she waved her hand at the two.

"I propose that we go see what we can find out about what the Silver Army is doing. You now have not only the Dark One, but two Vulcannonian knights at your disposal. Let us go and do the recon. Let us find out what their strengths are and let us figure what they want. Once we have enough, we'll come back here and make a game plan. This way you don't have to worry about any of us getting hurt. We can take whatever they dish out. If for some reason we get caught or captured, we can say that we are an emissary for the Crown. It wouldn't be a compete lie," Danni explained.

"You're not going to let this go, are you?" Regina questioned.

"No, I am not. I'll either do it with your permission or without. I don't honestly need it."

Regina sighed. She knew that Danni was telling her the truth. She honestly couldn't keep her daughter from doing anything. She obeyed out of courtesy and nothing more. She was her own person and swore allegiance to the Crown, but only as long as it tried to protect itself and the family.

"Fine."

"Wait, what?" Will stated, flabbergasted that Regina acquiesced to Danni's demand.

"Take Wilhelmina and Nicola with you. I believe that you will be able to get me the information that I want to make an informed decision. I know that you will find out what we need to know in order to demand reprimands or send a declaration of war. Just don't start something before I make a decision," Regina demanded.

"Yes, mother," Danni replied and bowed.

"Do I have a say in this?" Will asked.

"No," Nicola answered.

"And, why not?"

"Because she is your True Love and you still respect Regina as your queen even though you are no longer under contract to her," Nicola replied.

"Fucking since of pride and loyalty," Will muttered.

"And, since you are going, niece, I will be as well. By your leave, majesties. I have preparations to make," Nicola stated as she bowed again.

"Anything you need, Will or Danni will get for you. Now, I expect all of you at dinner. Don't keep me waiting. Make a plan and go over it with Emma," Regina told them as she stood. "And, do come in out of the rain. Wouldn't want you getting sick."

Will and Danni watched her go. Danni with a smirk on her face. She had inheirated both of her mothers' sass and snark. She didn't appreciate as much when she was in New York as much as she did now. She could actually see where she came from here. She admired them. And, she only hoped that she'd make them proud. She was doing this for them. If she could fight the entire coming war on her own, she would. Family and love be damned. She would destroy the army, but for now...she would do things the way that Regina wanted.

"So, Nick, what do you know about the Silver Army?" Danni asked spinning back around to face the older Vulcannonian.

"Too much," Nicola answered and gestured for them to enter the armory.


	33. Chapter 33

**Chapter 33**

Regina sat at a desk in her war room. It was just off her personal study. Across the way, both Emma and Danni sat. Standing not too far away as she surveyed the map on the desk was Nicola. In her place as Vulcannonian guard, Will was standing between Regina and Emma's seats watching her aunt.

"So the Silver Army," Regina stated as she waved her hand above the map.

Nicola looked over the map and then met the hard eyes of Regina. She gave her a quick smirk and then bent over the map. Her fingers landed on the icon for the castle.

"This is the heart of the Enchanted Forest. This is your castle. It is the capital of the Winterlands."

"I know all this," Regina said dismissively.

"What you don't know is that you are in the center of the Fairy Tale World. The Summerlands to your south. The Golden Kingdom of Midas to your west, along with Agrabah. Arrandale is to your north. Eric's lovely seaside kingdom is to the east. To Southeast, just miles off shore is Vulcannon. To the northwest is the Kingdom of Eglantine. Even Atlantica follows your lead under the sea. You, your majesty, are the center of the magical world," Nicola told them.

"I can see that," Regina stated.

"What you don't see are the smaller kingdoms between all of those lands. The lands beyond the borders. And, that is where the Silver Army has grown."

"What can we do?" Emma asked.

"Send out messengers that are friendly. Ask around and see what they've seen in those areas. You'll find out more about the Army that way."

Emma looked to her wife. She could see the look in her eyes. Regina waved her hand at Emma and she left the war room to start the task.

"Anything else?" Danni asked, watching the other Vulcannonian warily.

"Yes, their leader isn't from here. He is from the World with No Magic. I've tried to track him back on Earth, but I couldn't find anything on him. It is my job to make sure that the two worlds don't bleed together. Or where they do, the power of magic is contained. Storybrooke is safe for now, but I will need to take precautions when I return back," Nicola told her.

"Like what?" Will questioned, her blue eyes staying on her aunt and her movements, still unsure of what to think of her aunt.

"He is a dangerous man. I lost track of him and for me that is hard to do. His name is Dedrick. And, no, I don't know if that is his real name, first or surname. All I know is that is what he goes by. He is deceptively clever and very anti-magic."

"Why would he come her?" Danni asked.

"If he found out that magic is real and from here, he would seek to destroy it. Lines blur easily princess. I'm sure you have seen that in your recent life in New York," Nicola answered.

"How do you know about that?"

"It is my job to know, plus you were living with my niece. It wasn't hard to figure out that you had magic or magical means. You whereabouts prior to New York are spotty at best. Any true investigator would immediately thought you were an illegal and sought to figure out who you were through higher government means and Interpol. Unfortunately, that is where I would have had to come in. I cannot allow any magical beings to be found. I would have produced papers and people that could vouch for you as a citizen of Maine and from Storybrooke. It would be a town so small that it wasn't on the map. Something I could easily make up and destroy as needed. Fortunately, the town does exist, but it doesn't at the same time."

"Outsiders don't just waltz right in," Will started to say.

"And, that is why Danni's life and background are safe," Nicola replied cocking her eyebrow at her niece.

"What does Dedrick want with me?" Regina questioned.

"Your head? Your kingdom? Who knows? The only way I can explain him is through Earth's history. Have you studied any of it?"

"I had twenty-eight years of the same day. Yes, I studied the world outside my town. I needed to know what was going on around us so that I could make the town reflect it accordingly. What of it?" Regina inquired.

"Have you heard of the neo-Nazis?"

"Yes," Danni, Regina and Will all replied.

"Think of Dedrick as the head of a neo-Nazi group and you are their number one enemy."

"Great," Danni stated.

"What should we do?" Regina questioned.

"I think like your daughter suggested. We should send a small force up to where they were lost spotted. Let them scout and then we can plan a course of action. We might want to get forces together, but quietly. We don't want to give him any reason to attack."

"We already know that he has silver on his side. He would expect us to lead with the Wolves on Conulf and Ruby's forces. I want to know what else he has. I cannot send Wolves to their slaughter. I refuse," Regina responded.

"That is true. He does have silver on his side, armor, weapons, arrow tips. He is prepared for magical beings, but not magic in its entirety. He can't really defend against that unless he has someone magical on his side," Danni added.

"Then, we need to figure out who is helping him. We need to cut him off and make sure that he knows that this realm is not going to go down without a fight. Someone has given him residence. Someone has given him quarter. And, for the realm's sake, we need to find out who," Wilhelmina stated as she moved towards the desk and the map.

Her eyes were darting around it. She was trying to map out where she thought he might be hiding and who might have given him quarter. That is where she would start her search. She needed to plan a route that they could travel quickly. They needed to figure out how to respond to this new threat and defeat it.

"Is there something else that we need to be prepared for?" Danni asked.

"Not that I know of. I don't know who or what he has working for him, Princess. The only magical beings that have faced him and survived that I know of are in this castle. And, in that situation, I am sure that it was an accident. He hasn't let me get close enough to him to see what he is really after. I have followed him for years, but this is the biggest that I believe he has gotten. And, I would think that we should be afraid and with good reason. Is there anyone that you can think would wish you ill or massive harm?"

"Plenty," Regina replied.

"She was the 'Evil Queen'," Will answered.

Nicola looked up and studied the Queen before her. She knew the fairy tales from Earth, but to meet the "Evil Queen" in person... She wasn't sure if it was an honor or not. She bowed slightly to Regina as she regarded her again. The woman before her didn't seem as bad as the stories made her appear to be. She also wasn't old.

"Forgive me for saying this, but you are beautiful and in no way the old witch from the tales and legends," Nicola stated.

"Not all stories are true," Danni replied.

"I know this, Princess."

"Will you not call me by my name?" Danni asked her.

"And, what name should I use? The name you were given at birth, Princess Remy Aurora Swan? The name you were given in exile, Coraline Danielle French? Or, the name you have chosen for yourself, Danni Gallia?"

"You speak with a fresh tongue, but you know of me?" Danni questioned.

"It isn't the process of knowing that I have ascertained your story, my Princess," Nicola said.

Danni stood up. She wasn't sure what to make of the woman before. Crossing the room to face, Danni sized her up for the first time since they'd met. She could see the strong familiar resemblance between Nicola and Wilhelmina, but the fire in their eyes was different. She couldn't explain that. Maybe it was the time spent away from each other or maybe it was the fact that they protected two different things.

She let her eyes roam across the older woman. She could see the muscle and sinew that she had worked out for and kept honed. She was a weapon as she had been trained to be as a Vulcannonian knight. She was prepared to die for her people, her crown, and for magic. She could see that. Hell, Will had told her as much, but there was something else behind her movements. There was a grace that she had only seen once before. And, then it dawn on her...Rachel.

"Why are you afraid of Rachel staying her too long?" Danni inquired as soon as the thought was formed.

Regina was intrigued with her daughter's line of thinking. She figured that this was the only way that Nicola would have heard about Danni and her abilities or lineage. Will for her part just watch her aunt and her lover as they verbally sparred. She didn't know which side to take and she was afraid to take either. So, hedging her bets, she took Emma's seat next Regina and waited for the other two Alpha Females to duke it out. She knew that Regina wouldn't stop them because of the amused look on her face. She knew that Regina liked facts and she didn't care how she had to get them. She knew her daughter had no qualms about bending things to get what they needed, but she also knew that the Charming-White blood that was inside Danni would keep her from maiming, killing, or abusing her power too much.

"The longer she stays here, the more powers she will continue to grow up to and including immortality. Forgive me for not wanting her to have that life. She doesn't understand this world or this way of life. She was born for the stage and she thrives there. She needs to go back."

"I agree with you, Nicola, but convincing her otherwise as long as I am here, is futile. She will not leave my side. She feels indebted to me, but I assure you, any debt that she may have made, she has more than made up for. I wish for her to go home as well. That is why you found us in the courtyard earlier. I was trying to prove a point. And, I believe that I did."

"You chose a very visceral way to do it," Regina added.

"I couldn't think of any other way, Mom. She needed to know that death is a real possibility and that she doesn't have the stomach for it. I don't want her to go to battle for me. I never asked her for that. I don't care if she hates me, now, but she needed to see what we would on the battlefield," Danni stated.

"Back to the Army. We know who their leader is. Why can't we just get him?" Regina questioned.

"Yes, he is not only a fearful man, but a smart man. He uses charms and other natural things to disguise himself, his army, his camp, et cetera. He also uses them to get close to beings and then destroy him. For the Earthern realm being one of no magic, they sure have a lot of information on magical beings, objects and spells," Nicola replied.

Danni laughed. She knew exactly what Nicola meant. Regina and Will did but didn't. They knew magic, so they didn't understand why Nicola made her statement.

"But, they don't believe any of it, thank the gods," Danni responded.

"So, Danni, if I agree to let the three of you go, would you?" Regina asked.

"I would, Mom."

"Then, gather what you need to defend yourselves. Will, you will go and that is an order. I'll have the troops doubled, quietly and without much fanfare. I am sure Emma can find a way to camoflauge them all. As for you, Nicola, will you ride under my banner?" Regina inquired.

"If my Queen wishes, yes, I would be honored."

"I do," Will and Regina both answered.

"Then, I will be doubly blessed. By your leave, I'll will need to see your stores. I would like to leave in the morning, Dark One. I'll see you outside the armory at sunrise," Nicola told them as she bowed gracefully and backed towards the door.

As soon as she left, Regina turned to daughter and asked, "Do you believe her?"

"Yes, Mom, I do. She knows too much and she is scared for Rachel. She wasn't lying to us. She genuinely wants to take Rachel home. I think that she'll agree to anything that she has to, to ensure that it happens and quickly. If taking care of this Silver Army led by this Dedrick is the way, then she will do it without any qualms," Danni explained.

"And, you?"

"I will do as you ask, Mom. I am still your knight and at your biding. Have your forgotten the tattoo?" Danni questioned.

Will looked at Regina. She had heard mention of it, but never saw Regina use it. The fact that Danni still had it, and even as the Dark One had to obey, brought about a new set of complications in their relationship. Magic was magic and by law it had to be obeyed. The tattoo gave Regina power to dictate her daughter's will without her consent.

"Can we talk?" Will asked Regina.

Regina nodded. Danni looked from Will to Regina. She bowed to her mother.

"We'll follow up after dinner, Mom. I'll have plans by then. May I take this map?"

Regina nodded again. Danni rolled the map up and bowed again. She turned towards the war room's door and then back at Will. She gave the Vulcannonian a slight smile and took her leave.

Will finally sat down at the desk in front of Regina. Her blue eyes were icy and cold. She was trying to rein in her emotions. How could she not know that the tattoo upon Danni's bicep was that of the Queen's personal guard? She knew what spells Regina has used in the past to invoke loyalty to her and her alone with them. Had she truly given her own daughter one?

"Regina, what the hell did she mean by that?"

"By what, Will?" Regina replied in question.

"She has an elite guard tattoo?"

"She gave it to herself in her timeline. I was already gone and amazingly being the Black Queen negated the magic of it. Obviously, I wouldn't have given it to her if she'd asked. And, from what I understand, she did it to rebel against Ruby and to try to identify with the other refugees."

"You've never really spoken on it?"

"No."

"You've never used it?"

"Only once and it was by accident," Regina admitted.

"By accident? How do you command your daughter to obey by accident? Did you know she had the tattoo when you did it?" Will questioned.

"Yes, and that is why I did it."

"Why? Why would you do that to do her? What would possess you to do that to your own daughter?" Will demanded.

"Because I didn't know that she was my daughter at the time. Trust me, had I known, I wouldn't have used the tattoo's power to command her. And, now that I do know, I am not proud of it."

Will had the smarts to look ashamed of accusing her Queen in that moment. She should have known that Regina wasn't that cruel. She should have also known that Regina would have never allowed Danni, Coraline, or Remy, depending on the timeline and era, get the tattoo no matter how much she begged. Will had seen the tattoo but didn't think anything of it because the seal was slightly altered.

"I'm sorry, Majesty," Will stated after she'd gathered her wits with her head bowed in shame.

"There is nothing for you to apologize for, Wilhelmina. You didn't know. I didn't know at the time. I apologized to her about it after the fact. She's forgiven me. Her comments weren't meant to anger me," Regina explained.

"Then, why did she say it?"

"She is giving herself an out. She is still afraid of the Darkness and being the Dark One. She knows that I have gone to the brink and come back. We share that fear. She knows that. She was telling me that I still have power of over her if needed. It's her contingency plan."

"Contingency plan? Why does she need that? She hasn't acted out in ages. She's calm."

"But, she knows how quickly she can lose that. As long as I, Emma, or Snow are near enough to her, we can stop her. We can use the power of the tattoo to make her stop whatever it is that she is doing. That tattoo is her Dark One dagger now."

"What happens when you all die then?"

"Remy, Henry and Neal will be able to control her."

"But how?" Wilhelmina asked.

"Because they will be the new rulers of the three kingdoms," Regina said.

"Do you think that Remy or Henry would command her?"

"I don't know. I would like to think that it would never have to come to that, but I honestly don't know. I hope not. But, I can't see the future. But, I do believe that she will have help with her, now, regardless of where she is," Regina added.

"And, what would that be?" Will inquired.

"You," Regina said simply giving Will a knowing look.

* * *

Danni knocked on the door. She wasn't sure why she went straight to Ruby's rooms, but she needed to talk to her aunt. She needed her "other" mother. She knew that Belle would be there most likely, but she wanted to talk to Ruby alone for a few minutes. Then she would talk with Belle. In her heart, as much as Belle was her foster mother, she was more her sister. Normally she would go to Belle, but this was different. She needed Ruby's help and her knowledge. She needed the Wolf and the woman.

Belle answered the door. She moved out of the way to allow Danni to enter. She could see the weariness in Danni's dark eyes. She watched as Danni moved to sit next to Ruby. Belle just watched her. She didn't want to disturb her. She could tell that Danni needed time with Ruby and like their new resident empath, Brittany, Danni could do that. But, as she watched Danni with Ruby and saw their connect, Belle couldn't help but want Ruby to wake. She missed her wife.

"I'll be outside. Just let me know when you need me to come back in. If you need anything, just let me know as well," Belle told them as she opened the door again.

Danni turned to face the woman who she called sister and was her aunt by marriage. She could see the anguish on her face about Ruby. She resigned to bring it up with Ruby while they were talking. She gave Belle a courtesy nod and turned back to Ruby.

She waited until she heard the door close. When she knew that she was alone, she picked up Ruby's left hand and held it in both her hands. She closed her eyes and let herself drift away. She thought of the peace that she could feel after a rain storm and let that wash over her and soon enough her conscienousness merged with Ruby's.

She looked around the world that Ruby's body had created for her inside her own head. It was peaceful and a small village. If she thought about it long enough, Danni could see that it was the village that Ruby grew up in just outside of the castle. She smiled. This was a peaceful place for Ruby and she knew it. There were good memories here.

She heard two pups whimpering softly just outside a small cottage. She stepped down the snowy path towards the cottage. The two pups looked up at her and they had the most brilliant blue eyes. In that instant, Danni knew that they were her cousins, yet to be born. She giggled at the fact that they were small pups, but it made sense, since they were half Wolf.

She heard the door to the cottage open, but she didn't look up to see who it was. She assumed that it was Ruby. When the pups started yipping and the voice cooed at them, she realized that it wasn't Ruby at all. It was Belle, but she didn't know how.

"I am part of Ruby's life."

"I know that," Danni answered.

"That is why I have a form here. My persona changes regularly. I've been you, Regina, Granny and Belle. Even Emma has made an appearance or two, along with Snow. We all are just here to help Ruby through this pregnancy. As for the pups, well those really are the pups. They will be pups in her eyes until they are born. You can pet them if you want. They really seem to like you."

"I would hope so. I am their cousin. And, I like them, too. I can't wait to meet them in person, though and get to know their little personalities," Danni replied.

"So, you're going to stay," Ruby stated as she walked up to the cottage.

Danni spun around to face her. Dark eyes meeting azure blue in wonder. She missed her aunt and it showed. She took in the sight before her. Dark flowing hair and wondrous blue eyes accentuated by a tall and lithe body, obviously toned and ready for anything. The bright red cloak tied around her neck was distressing, but Danni could understand Ruby's want for it.

"I don't know, yet. There is a lot to think about. There is a lot at stake. And, a war is brewing that I don't know that I can stop this time," Danni said.

"Why do you have to stop it all by yourself?" Ruby asked her.

"Because I am the Dark One. I have the power to do it. I can't help myself. I want to stop it."

"That is your Ma talking. You make Emma proud you know that. I think that you can't help your hero complex. You come by it honestly, being the granddaughter of Charming and Snow and all."

"I guess that much is true," Danni replied.

"Come on in. I can see you want to talk. We'll talk and have some tea."

"You were expecting me?"

"Brittany is a very smart girl for just coming into her powers," Ruby replied as she walked inside the cottage without waiting for Danni to follow her.

Danni did follow her, however, and sat down at the rustic wooden table in the middle of the kitchen area while Ruby gathered some cups and the kettle. Ruby sat and then began serving the tea. After offering Danni cream and sugar, she handed her a steaming hot cup of tea.

"What plagues you little one?"

"I told Mom that she still could control me. I hadn't thought about it until then. I am not sure why I even did it. I mean...I know that she won't use it against me. You wouldn't let her. Belle won't let her. But, I still told her. I can't figure out why though," Danni explained.

"What is going on out there?"

"We are planning to do some recon against the Silver Army," Danni replied.

"You are going to war."

"We might," Danni answered.

"No, that is why you told her. You are going to war. You still remember your actions against King George and your afraid. You've spent years, years we don't know about, to rein in your temper and learn to control the Darkness. And, you're afraid with good reason that you will actually become the Dark One, like those of old. You were giving yourself and out. Your tattoo is your dagger and your brain just figured it out," Ruby told her.

"Then, why didn't it make me stay before?"

"Because neither Emma or Regina begged your to stay. It was Will. Will is not your ruler. She loves you and commands your heart, but she is not your Queen. She is not of the line of the House of White, Swan, or Mills. She is a princess and worthy your love and station, but until you swear fidelity to her, the magic of the tattoo will not answer to her," Ruby explained.

"How do I do that?"

"You could always marry her," Ruby suggested.


	34. Chapter 34

**Chapter Thirty-Four**

Danni sat outside her suites. She looked lost, but pensive. She was trying to think about her talk with Ruby. She understood most of it because she was the Dark One, but it was the intricacies of emotions that still left her baffled. Ruby was right, though. Will would always hold a place in her heart, even if she couldn't command it at the moment fully.

She thought about the tattoo. Sure, she got it against the wants of Ruby and Belle when they were raising her in her alternate history, but she had planned everything through. When she cast the spell in front of split personalities of Regina, her mother, and the Black Queen, she had realized that it was going to be a one way trip. She didn't know that she would forget the words on how to get back, but then again would it have mattered. She'd changed everything. There was nothing for her to go back to. Her world no longer existed. Honestly, neither did she. Remy was not her and she was not Remy. She had truly become Coraline and then Danni. Her memories were foggy some days, but she still trusted Belle and Ruby over everyone else.

She didn't mean to hurt her family, but it couldn't be helped. She had gotten so used to being alone and independent that needing someone else felt foreign to her. Rachel and Quinn did their best to get through to her, but even they had trouble. Will was the only one that could get through all her defenses and that was only when she allowed it. But, Will was different. She got her on levels that no one else did.

She wasn't sure if she was afraid of the bond their shared because she actually loved her on a deeper level than anyone else, or the fact that she was Will's Vulcannonian mate. She knew that it should scare her on some level that magic had destined them to be together, but it didn't. There was no way that Will could have known that she would have fallen for her charge's daughter. There really wasn't. And, had Coraline's fate not been sealed in death and mayhem, Will may have never found her.

She shook her head. She didn't know why she was thinking about this right now. She needed to be preparing herself for the journey ahead, but her talk with Ruby was making her look more inward than outward. She leaned back against the stone facade of the castle wall. She couldn't help but blame herself for this, even though she knew that it wasn't all her fault. She was worried about her family still and how she would react on the battlefield. She closed her eyes and tried will the world away.

"Can I sit with you?" a small timid voice asked.

Danni looked up. She couldn't help the surprise and shock on her face when she saw Rachel standing in front of her. There was a look in Rachel's eyes that she couldn't place. But, in the quick seconds that they stared at each other, both bewildered by the other's appearance, that Danni realized she'd seen the look before.

"Yes," she answered quietly.

They sat on the carved wooden and stone bench. Neither of them were particularly wanting to talk, but they both knew that they needed to. Danni waited. She knew that Rachel was probably furious with her and she could understand why.

"I understand what you did," Rachel finally said breaking their self-imposed silence.

"You do?" Danni questioned as she snuck a quick glance at her.

"Yes."

"Care to tell me about it?" Danni asked as she turned to face her more fully.

She didn't know why but she needed to see the understanding Rachel's face. She needed to know that she truly understood why she'd put her through those horrific paces just before her long, long, lost, unknown, maternal grandmother of sorts appeared in the courtyard. She needed to understand that she really had done the right thing. She wasn't trying to hurt Rachel. She was trying to protect her. It was just second nature for her after the incident in the ally way years ago. Danni wanted to keep her safe, even if it was from herself.

"You proved your point in the armory, Danni. I don't think that we need to explore it further," Rachel replied.

"You're still upset with me," she stated more than asked.

"I shouldn't be, but I am. I get it. I do. It's just that night in the ally...I want to believe that you stopped, that you didn't kill him, that you just beat him to a bloody pulp because of what he almost did to me and because you were protecting not only me but yourself. When he hit you with that piece of lumber, I couldn't help but want to scream, but I couldn't. No sound would come out. I know that you told me to run, but I didn't want to leave you there alone. You'd just helped me and you looked down on your luck. The least I could have offered you that night was a good cup of coffee."

"And, instead you took me home and bandaged my hands," Danni added.

"I did. I was worried that you might get an infection. But, I should have known that you were different the next day."

"Why is that?" Danni asked her.

"Because your hands were healed...completely healed. I just never put it all together. I just assumed that the ice and doctoring that I had done helped the cuts get really small. Even though logically, I should have known that they wouldn't have completely disappeared by morning. I didn't want to believe then."

"And now?"

"I have no choice but to believe."

"You could always just go back to New York and pretend that this was all a really bad dream," Danni suggested.

"No, I couldn't. I am not going to leave you. I am not going to let you suffer through this alone. But, I am not going to go on the campaign with you. I couldn't handle the hand to hand combat or the aftermath. I understand that, but that doesn't mean that I can't support you in other ways. I will stay here with your mother, Regina, should a war come to fruition. I will help tend the wounded. I will find a way to be of use," Rachel explained.

"But, this isn't your fight, Rachel. This is between me and the Silver Army. Somehow, some way, I know that this is my doing and I have to fix it."

"According to my Grandmother or whatever Nicola, this is my fight as well. Not just for my birth rite, but also because I am Vulcannonian like Wilhelmina. If that is true, then Quinn isn't just my soulmate and my lover, my wife, she is also my destined True Love. I will not allow whatever magic does exist in this world to be extinguished for whatever reason this Silver Knight thinks he has. I am not going to let your family suffer just as you didn't let me suffer."

"Rachel, this isn't necessary."

"It is to me," she said as she stood and walked away.

Danni wasn't sure that they had actually resolved anything between them. She could prove that she wasn't scared or injured from the lance head that Rachel had buried into her stomach, but she didn't think that it would prove anything to Rachel. She needed more. She needed something that wasn't tangible and Danni wasn't sure that she was willing to give that to her. She could create anything that Rachel desired and give it to her with magic, but she refrained from giving into her emotions and realizing what this was actually doing to her family.

She didn't realize when Emma sat down beside her. She didn't know when her warrior mother gathered her in her arms and held her. She didn't care. She was still trying to fight the emotional battle within herself in order to keep the "beast at bay." She had spent hundreds of years travelling between magical realms and kingdoms in order to find some semblance of order to the chaos that being the Dark One caused and the only conclusion she'd come to was stunting her emotional response. She had essentially become a Jedi. There was only thought, no emotion, and her thoughts drove her actions in order to protect those she loved. Emotions complicated things and got in the way.

"Heya, Kiddo, wanna talk?" she asked as she released her enough to lean back some.

"Hey, Ma," Danni replied.

"Wanna tell me what's going on? You know, besides the obvious. I want to help you. I may not have had a lot of practice with you, but I totally understand locking away your emotions. I did that. It was hard and lonely. But, you know what? I was lucky enough to find someone that was willing to help me find my way back into the world of emotions," Emma told her.

"Who?"

"Your Mom."

"Mom? Really? What about Grams and Gramps?"

Emma snickered a little. "Yeah, Snow and Charming helped me, but it was really your Mom that pushed me. If it wasn't for her constantly pushing me and making me angry to the point that I couldn't see straight, I would have left Storybrooke and your brother. I wasn't ready to have a family because I'd never had one. I was lost and lonely. I didn't think that I needed anyone to help me. I was so used to being alone and on my own that my independence almost cost me everything. I don't want that for you. I want you to have so much that I am willing to do anything to help you."

"I don't know what to do," Danni replied.

"I know and that sucks. Trust me, I get it. But, you have your family, real and made up, here to help you. We aren't going to let you fight this problem on your own. I for one am not going to let you leave without a fight this time. I know that you feel like you have to push us away to deal with being the Dark One, but you don't. We don't care about that and you've already proven that you care too much."

"I really screwed up with Rachel," she explained.

"I don't think you screwed up with Rachel, Danni. I think you went about pushing her the wrong way, but you got the result you wanted. She's rethinking the possibility of war. She needed to know if she could handle herself on the battlefield and she realized that she couldn't. There is nothing wrong with that. I overheard her talking with Regina about learning how to help bandage and care for the wounded. She's finding her place."

"It doesn't help that Nicola is here to complicate things further," Danni added.

"That is... Well, complicated to say the least, but I am sure that they will find a way to deal with each other. Take a walk with me. Let's talk, huh?"

"Okay, Ma," Danni replied as she stood up with Emma.

They walked out of the castle and towards the gate. She didn't question it. She just followed Emma blindly. She didn't believe that Emma wanted to hurt her. She knew that she wouldn't. She was her mother. Emma had her own way of expressing her love for her children. She did things with them, she showed them things and she told them about the life lessons that she learned on her own.

As they made their way through the small village just outside the castle, Danni began to wonder just where they were going. She also wondered if she should have told someone where they were going. She wasn't sure that anyone would really care that they were missing, but she figured that it would be nice for her mother to know her whereabouts because she knew how she worried. But, Emma didn't stop. She just kept going. Once they were on the other side of the village and the castle was on the mountainside, Emma turned to look at her. It was there that she finally stopped walking.

Emma waved her hands and she was suddenly in a tank top and pair of dark skinny jeans. A red leather jacket complemented the outfit as did the brown knee high boots. She looked like she belonged back in New York or Storybrooke. It was a look that Danni hadn't seen in years.

"Ah, that's better. I was getting tired of all the gowns and knightly garb. Go ahead and change. I know that you can't be comfortable in all that...that...stuff."

Danni wanted to life, but she didn't. She just waved her hand and found herself in a pair of jeans and red t-shirt that bore the family crest. She just smiled as she looked down at her blackened combat boots. She was ready to do whatever Emma needed her to, now.

"There is a place that your mother and I made back in Storybrooke. It was a place that we could go and just be. There was no responsibility. We were just Emma and Regina there. There was no mayor or sheriff. We didn't have to worry about the outside world. It was just us. It was a place that we could just let loose and be alone."

"Is that where we are going?" Danni asked.

"After a fashion, yes. It seems that the little cabin in the woods couldn't come with us. So, your mom, being your mom, conjured us a place to runaway when we needed to just get away. I talked to her earlier. She thought that you might need some...time...to just think. I think that it would be a good place for you to just blow off some steam. It's what I do when I come out here," Emma told her.

"And, the change of clothes?"

"I feel more like myself out here and like this. You look good by the way. I think putting the family crest on the shirt was a nice touch," Emma said.

"I use it for the logo for our production company."

"Still representing even when you aren't with your family, cool."

Danni laughed. She understood what Emma was saying. She looked at the cabin as they neared it. Of course, it would be near water. She wasn't sure what her mother's preoccupation with water was, but she could appreciate it. There was something relaxing about where they were. She wondered what Emma was going to want to do while they were there.

"How long are we going to be here?" Danni finally asked her.

"That's up to you, kiddo."

"Why me?"

"Because, we are here for you. I know that you plan on saddling up and going off to find danger in the morning, but are you sure that you are ready for that? And, trust me when I say that I am not questioning your abilities. Far from it, but I know what it is like to go off half-cocked and angry."

"I do, too."

"I know that you do, Danni. I am not denying that. I am asking if you feel like you are ready to go out on a scouting mission."

Danni just looked at her. She didn't know what to say because she honestly didn't know what to say. She wasn't ready. She wasn't ready to be what her family needed to be. She loved them all, but she didn't know how many times she could go into the fray before the Darkness took her over completely. It was honestly her only true fear. She didn't care about death. She didn't care about being hurt. She only cared about the Darkness taking her over. She had seen what the Darkness had done in person thru the craziness of Rumpelstiltskin. She'd seen the pain in her family's eyes as she accepted her fate, but they did not. She'd seen what she could be driven into doing due to the Darkness. She'd killed a man without thought, reservation or consequence. She did it and she knew it.

"I don't know," she finally mumbled.

"It's okay to not be ready," Emma told her.

"Is it?"

"Sure."

"Why do you say that?" Danni asked her.

"I wasn't ready to be a mother. I gave Henry up, but he is the one that brought back to save everyone from the Curse. I wasn't ready to believe in magic or be the Savior, but I still gave Henry True Love's kiss to save him. I thought I was saying goodbye to my only child. I was angry and hurt that he was dying in the hospital and no one could help him. But, in a split second of irrational thought, I kissed his forehead and broke not only the Sleeping Curse he was under but the Dark Curse being held over Storybrooke. I still had to fight against everything that I knew to be true. I had to learn to bridge the gap and find peace with the fact that I not only had magic, but I came from a place of magic. I had to relearn everything that I thought I knew about fairy tales, because, boy did the world without magic get those wrong."

"I know all that. I get that. I do. I understand all of it," Danni replied.

"I know you do. I am just letting you know that I get what you are feeling. I know what it is like to build something up only to find out that you were very wrong about it from the beginning. But, the truth is...we love you. We aren't asking you to do this. We never would," Emma explained.

"Well, that's a little hard to believe and I don't mean that badly. I am the daughter of the Savior and the Evil Queen. I was born of True Love and became the gods damned Dark One. It is in my nature to be fiercely loyal and to protect those I love...including my family. Hell, I came back from the future to make sure that Remy didn't live my life. Let me tell you about culture shock...'cause I think I would win that argument, Ma."

"True, you probably would."

"But, because of who I am and who I've become in the eyes of the people both in Storybrooke and in New York, I am expected to do things. Hell, only I would befriend a High Elf, a legacy warewolf, an Empath, and a Vulcannonian Princess while falling in love, by that I mean True Love, with the Queen of Vulcannon. I mean, there's a little pressure to perform. I know that many of the people know that I am a Princess of the Realm, but I don't take the title. I am Regina's first knight as High Queen of Fairy Tale Land. My older brother is her heir. I am the heir to nothing really, because in my stead, Remy will be the Princess of the Winterlands. And, just to hinder things and make them a little more complicated, we've decided to make my uncle, Prince Neal, who really has no claim to a throne at the moment, the Crown Prince and Heir to Summerlands. So, it's fallen on me to not only protect the thrones, but keep my family safe. Forgive for feeling a little pressure," Danni replied sarcastically.

"I think you are the one putting the pressure on yourself. We would never ask that of you. I know I wouldn't. It is too much for one person to bare."

"And, yet, you are still my Queen, my mother, and my commanding officer."

"Those are just titles, Danni. Titles don't make families. People do. You've got your family here, and the one that you've created for yourself back in New York. Now, what you have to do is ask yourself if what you doing is for them or for yourself?"

Emma didn't wait for her to answer this time. She walked off toward the cabin leaving her standing in the middle of the woods pondering everything. She decided that it was time to take stock of what Emma said as the looked around her surroundings.

"Sometimes you can't see the forest for the trees," she stated as she started towards the cabin, following her mother's footsteps.

She shook her head. She understood what Emma was trying to say. She didn't have to live up to anyone's expectations but her own. She had been trying to prove herself for years. She had grown up in their shadow and everyone expect great things from her because of it. But, she had to make her own path.

She walked into the cabin and looked around. It looked like it belong on a lake in Tahoe or upstate New York. It was very rustic, but it was also very much her mothers' cabin. She could see both Emma and Regina's influence everywhere. She couldn't help but smile. She knew that if this cabin resembled the one back in Storybrooke, then Regina visited it often.

"Your Mom likes to come here at least once a week to unwind," Emma told her as she handed her a cup of coffee and sat down on a carved wooden chair looking out the floor length windows overlooking the lake below.

"I can see why," Danni replied as she sat down in a similar chair next to Emma.

"I don't want you to live in our shadow, Danni. I want you to make your own way. I know what it is like having famous parents. We've tried to raise Henry and Remy so that they don't feel privileged or like celebrities, but being royalty kinda hinders that sometimes, you know?"

"I do."

"And, from what you've told us about Red and Belle raising you, you had no idea who you really were after the Blackness hit. I think you remind me more of me every day. You found out who you were later in life, then had to save us all from a dark curse. You became the next generation's savior," Emma told her.

"Guess that runs in the family."

"Maybe so, but I didn't want that for you," Emma said taking another sip of coffee.

"Who does?"

Emma turned and regarded her daughter. The years didn't show on her face, but in her eyes. She recognized the hallow there. She'd been there, but it was deeper than that. She was still fighting the darkness of the Dark One while trying to reconcile who she was. Anyone would break under that pressure, but Danni hadn't yet. She'd cracked on several occasions, but she hadn't completely broken. And, with each crack, she came back stronger, more energized and ready to fight harder than ever.

"I don't want you to feel like you have to do this to protect us, Danni. That isn't your job. You aren't our magical Savior. You don't have to risk yourself for us," Emma told her.

"I don't, then who will?" she asked in reply as she sat her coffee cup down on the arm of the chair.

"I'll go."

"Mom will never let that happen."

"I don't want you to think that you have to do this."

"I know that I don't have to do it. I want to do it. It has become my life's mission to protect this family. If not for you, then for Remy. I will not let her grow up with you both."

"No one is saying that she has to," Emma said.

"Tell that to the Silver Army heading towards us."


	35. Chapter 35

**Chapter Thirty-Five**

Regina sat in her study looking over maps and treaties. She wanted to be prepared if they decided that a war was needed. She didn't hear Will come in and sit down. She didn't even look up. She was too focused on the task at hand: being prepared.

"She's with Emma."

"That's good," Regina said.

"Belle is with Ruby. Seems that Ruby and Rachel both calmed Danni down somewhat after the fiasco in the armory followed by the incident in the court yard," Will stated.

"I am sure that it helped her to have that time," Regina replied.

It was then that Will realized that she wasn't really paying attention to her, but the maps instead. She wasn't really surprised. She remembered watching Regina plan before...when she was going after Snow. This was different. She was more intense. Things were more dire for them all.

"I'll leave you alone," Will stated as she stood to go.

"You don't have to go. I don't mind the company. I'm just trying to be ready in case the Silver Army comes for us," Regina replied.

Will nodded absentmindedly. She knew that Regina didn't always like to be alone. But, there were times that she craved it. It was something that she had to deal with being the Queen. Privacy had become a luxury, but she knew that as the mayor, too. This was no different.

"They went to the cabin," Regina told her breaking the silence.

"I know."

"I think she needs it."

"They'll be back in the morning, right?" Will inquired.

"I am sure they will. Emma seems to know what she needs. She's been through it. She understands her on a level I don't. I'm glad they have each other now. I'm glad that we can be there for Remy, but it is still too much for one person to deal with, Will. How can I take some of it from her?"

"I don't know, my queen," Wilhelmina answered.

Regina sat back and threw her quill on the desk. She looked up at the brunette with the piercing blue eyes. Will always had a level head. She knew that Will would keep Danni calm as much as she could and she would keep her from leveling the kingdom.

"She isn't going to go crazy on the battle field, Regina. She's changed. She's calmer. She's almost afraid of her magic. What happened in the armory is the first I've seen her act out of character."

"I know that, but it is a slippery slope. Sometimes it is really hard to come back once you start down that dark path. It is why she left us to begin with," Regina replied.

"I know."

"I tried to do the same thing, but the darkness...it's just so tempting and..."

"It corrupts. I know. I remember. I saw how easy you gave in. I let you, because I couldn't stop it."

"You didn't let me, Will. There was no stopping me. I was so angry that even our session in our private dungeon didn't stop the pain and suffering I felt. I wanted to make everyone suffer like I did, so I set out to do that. There was no consoling me. I wanted to be angry towards the end, when I cast the Dark Curse for Rumple," Regina explained.

"Why?"

"Because being angry was all I knew at that point. I couldn't function without it, but I knew that something was missing. I wasn't happy in my anger. The instant gratification only lasted for a little while and later I learned that Rumple groomed me for that Curse. He wouldn't cast it because it would cost him Belle. He wasn't willing to part with her, plus he didn't know that I had her at that time. He knew that I was so far gone, that I would have stopped at nothing, not even my father's heart, in order to cast the curse to make Snow pay for Daniel's death. He made sure that my gratification was never enough. He kept me on edge and when the mood to strike hit him, he did. He got what he wanted."

"But, you have Emma and Henry," Will countered.

"And, my little sister has the Imp's wife as her own now. So, in the end, I found my happiness through my anger. But, the darkness is still there. It is always tempting and it is a very jealous and dark lover. It's seduction is complete and life encompassing. It's very hard to resist," Regina informed her.

"But, she has something that you didn't," Will offered.

"What's that?"

"Friends and family that aren't going to let her fail," Wilhelmina answered.

Regina smiled. She knew that it was true. Things were different for all of them now. Things were better. They were all closer. They were working for a common goal and it was the kingdom. There was no pride or prejudice between the major houses. They were all looking for the same thing: happiness and love. And, they were all fighting to keep it. They were willing to do what it took to keep the peace going and keep love their major goal.

"I am happy about that, too," Regina responded.

"What else is weighing on your mind, Majesty?"

"I am afraid."

"Of?"

"War, losing my family, Danni leaving...where do you want to start?"

Will laughed, but it wasn't full of mirth. She laughed because she understood. She knew what Regina was feeling. She was scared, too, but she couldn't die.

"It is my job to protect this family, Regina, and I plan on doing that," Will said.

"Even from ourselves?"

"If need be, yes."

"I'll hold you to that, Will. Even if it means destroying me. I cannot be the cause of pain for my family. I will not go into that darkness again without knowing that you will make sure I don't hurt anyone."

"You know that is my pledge, Majesty," Will stated as she nodded in salute.

"Even against Danni?"

"Even then."

"I don't want to have to plan for that, but I must. I hope you understand. It isn't that I plan on going back into that darkness, but it's call is strong and so easy to answer. I could destroy the Silver Army with one hand if I so desired and I think that Danni knows that. She could, too, but she is willing to do it and sacrifice her newly returned soul in the process. I am not sure that I am willing to let her do that."

"And, what about Emma? Belle? Or myself? Do you think that we are willing to allow either of you?"

"No, and that is why I love you all for it," Regina answered. "We will have dark times ahead. The future has always been unknown to us. We stopped the Blackness from happening only to have a different sort of plague come after us in the form of this Silver Army. What are we to do? I will not sit back idly while my kingdom and family are threatened," Regina stated with her entire being.

"And, no one is expecting you, Regina. Why do you think that Emma has Danni out at the cabin by the lake. She is trying to make sure that our family survives this and that we stop the Silver Army. No one is giving up. We are all doing our parts in this fight," Will told her.

Regina stood up. She smiled. Will smiled back at her.

"Should we go to the lake as well?" Will asked her.

"Not tonight, no. If they don't come back in the morning, we'll head out there. I doubt that you will all be going in the morning as planned anyway."

"If Emma has anything to do with Danni, then yes, I am sure you're right," Will replied.

Regina laughed. Emma was known for her procrastination, but she knew how important this was. Will was one of the few that had seen both Regina and Emma separately. She knew the apart and alone. She knew them at their worst and at their best. She supported their union and their family. She would do anything for them both. But, she knew how head strong Emma was and how she would react. Emma didn't want an all out battle, but if it came down to it, Emma would be on a white horse leading the charge. But, Regina knew that she'd be beside her on a black horse with Danni and Will beside them.

"Do not fear, my Queen. Vulcannon will ride beside you, no questions. Now, let's go eat," Wilhelmina stated as they walked out of Regina's study and towards the banquet hall for dinner.

* * *

Belle was sitting with Ruby. She was pondering the coming adventure and what it would mean for them all. She didn't want to lose anyone and she knew that Danni was going to do her best to stop it all. But, she was also afraid for Danni. She was trying to not be so afraid for Danni, but she couldn't help it.

"In your heart, she is still your sister," Brittany said as she came in to sit with Ruby like she did every night.

Belle turned abruptly. Her icy blue eyes meeting the same of Brittany. The younger blonde smiled at her as she sat down near Belle. She reached out to take her hand, but waited for Belle to extend her own.

"She is, I guess, to a degree."

"The spell was strong. It is understandable. Even without magic, anyone can see the connection you two have. No one would question your allegiance to her, Belle. In fact, the Queen expects it. She knows that you would never betray Ruby, but she knows that you would never do anything to harm or cause harm to come to Danni. She knows that you love her and that Danni loves you. It is one of the reasons that she allows you such great freedoms with her," Brittany stated.

"No, it isn't. She knows that I refuse to hold me tongue with her. The only reason I haven't been punished for it is because I am Red's wife and the mother of our child, Danielle Coraline. Regina loves Danielle as much as she loves Henry and Remy. She loves her for what she represents."

"A new start?"

"No, hope that Danni's world...her timeline never comes into being. In it, Red and I didn't have any children. Now, we have two more on the way," Belle explained.

"You're proud of her," Brittany stated as she watched Belle's eyes light up.

"Hard not to be when you were once married to the Dark One. She still has light about her and I know that I have you and the others to thank for that. You helped her when we couldn't. You gave her what we couldn't. You never once judged her for who she was from and what she could do. You judged her for who she appeared to be. You gave her a chance that we couldn't."

"Because you all knew about the darkness and the power of the Dark One?" Brittany asked.

"Yes."

"She doesn't fault you for that. She knew that stories. She knew the power even if it didn't touch her as a child. She knew to be afraid of it and what it meant for the bearer. She took that willingly in order to save her unborn self. I find that very selfless, don't you?"

"I do."

"But, yet, you're still afraid."

"You've never seen her power, Brittany. You don't understand. If she turns while fighting them, there maybe nothing we can do to bring her back."

"You said that you lived with a Dark One before."

"I did," Belle replied.

"What were they like?"

"At first I thought he loved me. And, in his own way, he did, but his need for power overshadowed everything else. His need to be the greatest surpassed any want he ever had to have a meaningful relationship with anyone else. It even cost him his son."

"His son?"

"Yes, you see when I met Rumple, he was already a few hundred years old."

"Wow," Brittany replied.

"He was brilliant. He was kind when he wanted to be, but he was so demeaning when you crossed him. I almost got through to him at one point. Our love for each other almost saved him," Belle stated wistfully as a small grin cover her face.

"What happened?"

"He realized that he was changing. That's the problem with the Dark One. There is only one thing more powerful in our world than the Dark One's dark magic."

"What's that?"

"True Love," Belle replied.

"And, you loved him."

"I married him. I wanted children with him. I wanted everything with him. But, he...he wanted his power and when it started to wain with the people, I was cast aside. I was no more than a display piece. I was as you say 'arm candy.' And, one time that I kissed him and he started to change back to being human, he chose the magic over me stopping the transformation," Belle explained.

"What did you do?"

"I left him. I realized that I would never be what he wanted and he would never be what I wanted. We were just dancing around the idea of each other and being True Loves."

"And, then you found Ruby?" Brittany inquired.

"More like she found me. She had always been nice to me, caring and kind. She took me in when I didn't know what else to do. She held me while I cried over a life that I would never had. She never judged me for loving him. She never attacked him for hurting me. She was just a friend and then something changed. Did either of us see it coming, I doubt it. But, the first time we felt each other, we knew. And, after that there was no turning back," Belle stated.

"That's beautiful," Brittany added.

"It's poetic in a way."

"It is, but it also gives me hope for Danni."

"Yeah, how?"

"If True Love can conquer the darkness of the Dark One, then all she needs is to love Will. Problem solved. Will is the one that we need to make sure stays sane through all this because she will be the key in bringing Danni back from the brink."

"What do you know about it?"

"I know that Rachel told you about that night in the alley. She thinks that we don't know it all, but we do. Danni told us. Santana dragged it out of her when we found her on the streets a year later. We told Quinn about it. Quinn came to see her, but she could tell that Danni was in rough shape. She wouldn't let her near Rachel until she was better."

"How did that turn out?" Belle questioned.

"There were lots of night of yelling and lost sleep, broken walls and pictures, words that we couldn't understand. But, in the end, when her energy finally gave out, she crawled back to us. She knew that we weren't going to judge her. She saved one of us and we would return the favor."

"She is lucky to have you four as friends," Belle said.

"We're lucky to know her."

* * *

Emma sat on the back porch watching as Danni paced. She had a cup of coffee in one hand and cell phone in the other. She knew that phone didn't work...per se...but with magic, she could reach Regina if she needed to. Sitting there like that, she almost felt like she as at home in Storybrooke.

"You miss it, don't you?" Danni asked turning around suddenly to face her mother.

"I do."

"Why?"

"Because it is the world I know. I don't know this one. I don't understand the rules of the monarchy. I don't like having all the craziness here. In Storybrooke, I was just the sheriff. Here, I am the Crown Princess of the Summerlands and the Queen of the Winterlands. I am the head of the House of Swan, mother of the Crown Prince of the Swan Kingdom. My wife is the Queen Consort to me as I am really the Queen of the Swan Kingdom. I let Regina handle all the royal mumbo-jumbo. I have no clue what I am doing here. They want me to write laws...ME! I barely have a high school education and they want me to rule them. I can't do that."

"How do you think that I felt in New York? Magic was all I knew and I walked away from it. Had it not been for Rachel and Quinn, and then Brittany and Santana, I would have lost my mind and probably done something very stupid. They are the reason that I am sane in my insanity. They gave me a purpose, something to focus on and I found out that I was good at writing stories and direction. Theatre was a natural progression for me. Starting the production company just meant that we had better autonomy to do things how we wanted. And, it worked. We are one the highest rated production firms in New York City Theatre. Actors seek us out. Directors want to work with us. Musicians come to play for us. All of them in hopes of landing a job with us, because it would be guaranteed employment for up to two years and it is good money. I like it," Danni told her.

"But, you are unsure if you want to go back?" Emma asked.

"No, I'm not. I want to go back. The temptation of magic is too strong here. I don't know how long I can hold back the darkness inside me, now. I know that you all want to believe that I am some strong woman who can call on the power of True Love and I would be able to end the power of the Dark One, but I can't. There can be no light without dark. There can be no love without hate. And for me, I have both, constantly at war and it depends on the day and situation on which side I listen to. I could be the greatest sorceress in the Enchanted Forest or I could be the worst. I don't want to be either. I just wish that I could have a life, a simple life, maybe a wife and few kids, but I don't get that because of who I am. I realized that a long time ago and I've sorta come to peace with it."

"But?"

"I can't stay here. Sure, running around with a sword in my hand is something that I've always done, but it isn't me anymore. This isn't my life. I can't protect anyone if I decide to stay. The risk is too great," Danni stated.

"Then go home to Storybrooke."

"Mom doesn't want me to go."

"She understands that you need to."

"But, what about Will?" Danni questioned.

"I cannot speak for her. She is a free agent to the Crown. I do not require her to stay, nor is she your mother's sworn Vulcannonian guard anymore. Regina released her shortly before you fled through the portal years ago."

"Why?"

"Because she hoped that Wilhelmina would go looking for you," Emma told her.

"But, she didn't."

"No, she didn't. She was devastated when you left. But, her sense of pride wouldn't let her leave Regina again, no matter that she was free of her obligation to the throne. She felt like she betrayed Regina by leaving in the first place, so her penance was staying behind and losing her love...you. She figured that with you being the Dark One that you would eventually come back. The magic would draw you back. Plus, she knew how dedicated you were to the family. If there was a threat lodged against us, she knew that you would somehow find out and come back. She wasn't wrong."

"How so?" Danni asked.

"You're here aren't you."

Danni smirked and gave a quick laugh. She knew that her Ma was right. As soon as she knew that Ruby was in trouble, she knew that she was coming back. Even in all her travels through all the other worlds, if she got word that something was happening, she showed. Remy knew who she was and kept it a secret for her. All anyone in the kingdom knew was that she was a knight to the throne and one of Regina's elite guards. Emma didn't even have that distinction and she was the head of the armies. Danni was stronger than Emma, more powerful than Regina, more knowledgeable than Belle, and better adept than Ruby. She was perfect for the battlefield and that is why she hated it so much.

"I've seen too much death and destruction come to this family...this kingdom...this realm. I will not let my sacrifice be in vain. If I have to kill every soldier in the Silver Army, I will. I will not let them hurt you," Danni stated and her anger began to rise.

"Calm down, kiddo. I have no doubt that you will do what has to be done. You're like your mother in that respect. While I would think about it, I would never be able to go through with it. I can't. I've only ever killed one person in cold blood, but one could argue that I was defending your brother. I could have stopped it, but I didn't. I had that taste of darkness and my magic...I didn't have control of it. I was a loose cannon with a very powerful bang. If it wasn't for your mother, I could have been the next Dark One then. I might have killed Rumple that week. I wanted to kill Rumple that week. Somehow, I didn't," Emma told her.

"Do you think that I can do this without turning?"

"That is up to you, Danni. I can't say what you'll do. I hope that you won't. But, I also know that we will all be back at the castle waiting for you and being there for you because we love you. I can only hope that our love will be strong enough to bring you back from the darkness to some sort of neutrality. Because I believe you when you say that your magic is always at war, love versus dark. I get it. I've seen it. I've felt it. I know how hard it is to resist and how easy it is to give in. That is one of the reasons that I will be standing in the courtyard as soon as the sentinels tell you are approaching. I will read your face and then I will gauge my reaction accordingly. But, don't you for one second think, that I am going to let you suffer alone. You've done enough of that for several lifetimes. This time your family will suffer with you until you are ready to face the world again," Emma explained.

"I'll still don't understand why."

"Because we love you, silly. Plus, I am your mother. It is my job to protect you and unfortunately, I have done a piss poor job of it. I'll always be here for you, Danni...Coraline...Remy...because you are my daughter."

"Did you know that I came to visit sometimes?" Danni asked her.

"I did to a degree. I knew that some knight kept sneaking in and spending time with Remy. Belle was the one that told us not to worry about it. It was a guard that had made it their mission to protect the young princess. At first I wasn't sure what to believe. I didn't want you to be someone that liked little kids. I'd've killed you for that, just so you know. But, Belle was your champion and since Remy and her are so close, I figured that Remy told her who you were and what you were doing. If Belle wasn't worried about you, then I had no reason to be. Besides I believe your mysterious comings and goings, while vexing for Belle, turned out to be like a giant, brought-to-life, story book for Remy."

"She told you some of my tales?"

"She would regale us with new ones every time you came. That was the only way that I knew that you'd been here. There were no other signs and no in the ranks knew you beyond a name. Ser Coraline wasn't a knight to be trifled with and with the updated tattoo on your arm, you achieved hero status. It was more like a hero from a comic book. And, then there were the tales that Belle wrote about you. We just figured that you were some knight that was amusing our daughter while being part of her protection detail. We never thought to look more into it because Belle kept us informed," Emma stated.

"She told you what she wanted you to hear and what you wanted to hear about Ser Coraline," Danni added.

"She did and it worked. We were never afraid of you, because Remy wasn't. It wasn't until shortly after you came back when she told us that her older sister was here to play and stay that things started to fall into place. When we questioned her about her sister, she famously told us that it was her Ser Coraline, come back from her adventures, to stay and protect the family. Even though Remy doesn't have full knowledge of what's going on, she has a keen sense for it."

"I know," Danni replied.

"She loves you."

"I know."

"I love you," Emma stated.

"I know."

"Your mother loves you," Emma told her.

"I know."

"We all love you," Emma said.

"I know."

"Then go. Do your duty, but remember to come home to us. Come back to our love and let us help our find your way back. No more running. No more leaving. Just love and family. That is all you really need to stay grounded," Emma instructed her.

"I know."

"Don't forget."

"I won't," Danni answered.

"Now, go fire some fire balls at the water. I know that you need to expel some energy and I'll go make dinner. But, don't get too crazy. Your Mom really likes that lake."


	36. Chapter 36

**Chapter 36**

When she woke the sun was barely up. She sighed as she stretched. The world seemed at peace for once. She knew that she was about to end that peace, but she needed to protect her family. There was nothing that she wouldn't do for them. Hell, she'd already died and became the Dark One. What was a little more, right?

She shook her head. She knew that she couldn't think that. She loved them. They weren't asking her to do this. She was volunteering. She was doing this on her own. They wouldn't be able to stop her even if they wanted to. She knew that. She knew that they didn't want to let her go because they knew what it might cost her, but she was determined. She got that from both of her mothers. She wasn't going to back down. She didn't know how. Also something that she got from the both of them. Today would be no different. She would ride out with Will and Nicola. They would deal with this because they were the immortals, magic or not, and they couldn't be killed by the Silver Army.

"Want some coffee?" Emma asked as she joined her daughter on the front porch of the cabin.

"Sure," Danni answered quickly.

Emma handed her a steaming cup. She watched as she sipped it slowly. She smiled at her daughter. She couldn't help but notice how much Danni resembled Regina. There were little things that made her a "Charming" or a Swan, but there was so much of Regina in her.

"You look so much like her," Emma said.

"Who?"

"Regina," Emma answered and then took a sip of her own coffee.

"I would hope so. She is my mother and the one that bore me. But, I am told that I favor you in ways as well, Ma," Danni stated.

Emma laughed. She had to admit that she was closer to Danni now, but there was still some distance. She knew why and she accepted it, even if she didn't like it. She wasn't going to push. She knew what that was like.

"Thank you for bringing me here," Danni said interrupting her thoughts.

"I know how you feel."

"Do you really?"

"Well, partially, I do. You think that you are some great hero and that is all you were born to do, but you aren't sure that you are capable of being the hero that everyone craves. You've proven yourself over and over, but you still wondering if it will ever be enough. There are things that you wanted with your life that you're not sure you'll ever get now."

"Wow...Snow laid it on thick did she?" Danni asked.

"I just don't think she thought about having a daughter that was completely disillusioned with everything. She wasn't sure what to do with an adult daughter that was slightly older than her as well. We've butted heads...a lot. I won't lie about that, but in the end, we are family and we protect each other, even if it is from ourselves. Trust me when I say that things haven't always been as easy as you think they have. They haven't. We've fought for everything that we have and we continue to do so. So, I want to you to know that we will never stop fighting for you even though we have Remy. She didn't replace you, Danni. She couldn't."

"But, she did in so many ways."

"She isn't the Survivor, Danielle. She never has been. She's known this world more than any other, just like you, but she hasn't had the Darkness to fight against like you have. The Silver Army will be the first major conflict that she will see. The fight for the Brannonulf isn't even on her radar or ours really. It is something that we are monitoring because we aren't going to let Ruby lose the kingdom."

"Neither will I," Danni added.

"What do you need me to do?" Emma asked her suddenly very serious.

"I need to know that you and Mom aren't going to stop me if I run again. The magic is too strong here. At least in Storybrooke, I have some semblance of control. I don't know how much longer I can stay and still fight the Darkness inside. Can you give me that?"

"Done."

"I need to know that you will try to stop Will if she follows me," Danni stated.

"I won't do that. Not again. I can't promise you that, Danni, so don't ask it," Emma informed her.

"Why not?"

"Because she loves you. It almost destroyed her last time. It will if you do it again and we hold her back. I will not be responsible for her heartbreak. If she chooses to follow you, for whatever reason, I will give her my blessing. She deserves her happiness, too, Danni. She has already done enough for this family. Loving you shouldn't be a punishment for her loyalty. Besides, she can't help loving you any more than you can loving her," Emma explained.

"Fair enough," Danni replied. "But, make sure that Quinn, Rachel, Santana and Brittany make it back, if I don't. Promise me to care for them and get them back to New York. I don't want them to be here longer than they have to be. They shouldn't have come with me to begin with, but Rachel...she is a stubborn one and still thinks that she owes me."

Emma laughed. She knew what Danni meant. Rachel and Regina were alike in so many ways, but yet so different. Finding out that she was a descendant of the throne of Vulcannon just made it more obvious of their similarities.

"We will do our best, but you already know how they'll react," Emma replied with a grin.

"That is all I can ask for," Danni said as she sipped on her coffee again.

They both turned back to the lake and looked out at the water. It was calm, but neither of them were. It was something they both knew. They knew that they wouldn't be calm until they had some sort of resolution. And, a nice resolution wasn't something that they were guaranteed.

"We should be heading back," Emma said.

"We should."

"Ready?"

"Not in the slightest," Danni stated.

"Don't worry about anything but the mission."

"Hard not to," Danni replied.

"Just remember that we've got your back. Don't worry about us. Worry about Will and Nicola. I'll take care of the rest," Emma told her.

"I'll try, but I can't promise anything. I am going to worry. I can't help that worry."

"I get it. I do. But you have to keep your mind on the mission," Emma stated.

"I know."

Emma moved just slightly. It was enough to lean into her. Their shoulders touched. She watched as Danni smiled. She knew that it was more than just a normal thing for Emma to do. It was a way for Emma to tell her that she was proud of her and she loved her. Danni understood. She reached around with her right hand and side hugged her mother.

"Ma," she started to say.

"Yeah?"

"I'm glad that I got to know you. You know the real you, not the story book you, not the legend, but you as my mother. I can see why Mom loved you and the more I get to know you, the more I can see you in me, too. I just hope that I ..."

"Don't even finish that Danni. We love you. We're proud of you. Just because you've chosen a different name doesn't change any of that. We understand. Circumstances weren't in your favor then, but they are now. Don't think for a minute that we will ever stop loving you or being proud of you. No matter who you are or what you become, be in the Swan Princess or the damned Dark One, you will always be my daughter and I will love you until I die," Emma told her.

"I love you, Ma," Danni replied as she gathered her further into a more full-bodied hug.

* * *

Regina stood in the courtyard. She didn't look worried, but Will could feel it rolling off her in waves. Emma and Danni weren't back yet. She could tell that Regina wanted to go look for them, but she was trying to give Emma time. Will had agreed with Emma to take Danni to the lake. They all knew that they needed Danni to have a clear head before going into this.

"You bring her back to me, Will. I don't care what she does or what she says. You bring her home to me," Regina commanded her quietly.

"As you wish, majesty," Will replied with a slight bow of her head.

"I don't care if you have to hogtie her. You bring her home. She can hate me if she wants. I need to know that she is safe first," Regina stated.

"Yes, majesty, I will."

Regina shook her head in agreement. She knew that Danni wouldn't like it, but she needed to know that she would come back first. She would let her leave, but she wanted to see her off this time. She didn't want Danni running. She wanted her to leave with her blessing. And, she would allow Will to go because she knew that Will would want to go with her. She wouldn't keep them apart this time. They deserved to be together.

Regina turned and looked at her knight. She was dressed in peasant clothes. Gone was her knightly garb and Regina understood why. They could move about the kingdom unhindered and unnoticed as commoners more than they could as knights. They would take not banners or flags. Only just enough weapons to defend themselves, which wouldn't be much considering who they were.

Nicola came out of the armory with a bow and two quivers. She, too, was dressed down for someone of her station. Gone were the jeans and t-shirt from yesterday. She looked like she belonged in the village just outside the castle. It made Regina wonder where she got the clothes so quickly, because she knew that the people working in the castle didn't dress that low. She hadn't been keeping tabs on the newest Vulcannonian. She'd left that to Will because she knew that was too sure about her own aunt.

Belle came out of the main part of the castle. She was followed by Rachel, Quinn and Santana. Regina knew that if Belle was there, then Brittany was with Ruby. It was a trade off they had established. Belle knew it was safer for Ruby to have constant contact with the outside world. Leaving Brittany was an easy choice. She had ways of contacting them with her Empath powers. It was mostly Belle, Regina, and Will that she contacted if she needed them for anything.

They were all waiting for Emma and Danni. Regina surveyed them all. The castle staff could tell that something was about to happen, but they continued their own tasks for the day. Nicola gave Will a look. They nodded between themselves. Nicola handed Will the arrows and the bow and then left the courtyard. Regina watched her go. Will just shook her head.

"She's getting horses," Will stated at the quizzical look that Regina gave her.

Regina just nodded. She looked around again. Nothing strange seemed to be happening. She didn't like it. There was too much at stake, but she knew that Danni was right. Sending Will, Nicola and her was the best idea for the kingdom, even if she really didn't like it. She knew that Emma agreed with her. But, they couldn't stop Danni from going. She would have gone on her own unless Regina expressly forbid it. They all knew that Regina wasn't going to do that, especially after they heard that it would be a command of the tattoo.

"Regina, stop dwelling on it. We'll be fine. Danni will be here soon with Emma. I promise there is nothing to worry about now. We'll take care of this," Wilhelmina tried to tell her.

"I am not worried about you or Nicola, Will. I am worried about my daughter. I could lose her because of this and I refuse to lose her again."

"You won't lose her, Regina. She's fighting to just be. You know how strong the Darkness can be. Be proud of her. Give her space, but lend her your strength. She'll need it. Give her your blessing. She craves it. Give her your love. She grows with it. But, most of all, never give up on her. She never has given up on this family. So don't you start to give up on her," Will commanded Regina in a voice that Regina hadn't heard since she was younger.

"I'm not giving up on her, Will. I can't. She is my blood and my child. I will never give up on her," Regina replied just loud enough for Will to hear.

"Then tell her that," Will said as she walked away to find Nicola and to make sure that they were packed for their quest.

Regina hung her head. She knew that she hadn't spent enough time with Danni. She couldn't really being the Queen, but she knew that she needed to make time. She had made time for Remy and for Henry. She would make time for Danni as well. She would let her know that she was loved. She wouldn't let her forget it.

Just then there were two plumes of magical smoke. Emma and Danni emerged from them. Emma had a large smile on her face, happy to see her family again. Danni looked tense. She looked rested and relaxed, but there was a tension in her eyes that even Regina could see.

Emma walked over to Regina and gave her a kiss. She spoke with her quietly and quickly before moving off to check on Nicola and Wilhelmina. It surprised everyone but Regina and Danni.

Danni stood there, in jeans and a t-shirt, wondering what she was going to do in the forest. She knew that she had to find someway to stop the Silver Army, but she wasn't sure how without going all crazy evil Dark One on their asses. It wasn't that she didn't want to do that. It was more of she was afraid of what would happen if she did. She remembered George and how easy it was. She remembered beating that man in the alley way to protect Rachel...Rachel...

She looked over to her friends. She noticed Brittany's absence. When Belle nodded at her, she knew that she was with Ruby.

"We ready?" she asked as Nicola and Will joined them again in the courtyard.

The two Vulcannonians nodded. She nodded at Emma and then joined them. There was nothing that really needed to be said. As so she crossed the courtyard to get on her horse, she waved her hands and changed her clothes into something a little more peasant like.

Regina wasn't going to let it go down like that though. She crossed the courtyard and raised her hand to Danni's horse. The horse nuzzled her hand as she came up along side it. Danni didn't forget her mother's affections for horses, but she wasn't ready to face her yet.

"You're not just leaving like this," Regina told her.

"I have a mission that you gave me," Danni stated.

"Yes, you do, but I don't think that I have quite dismissed you for it, yet, knight," Regina almost hissed at her.

Danni shook her head. She dismounted the horse and stood in front of her mother. Regina wasn't the most regal woman she knew, but she was the most awesome. Quickly, she dropped to her knees and waited for Regina to say something more to her.

"Stand up," Regina told her.

Danni did and met eyes just like her own. The fire was there but she wasn't afraid. She knew that her mother didn't want her going for the simple fact that she was her daughter and nothing else. It didn't matter that she was the Dark One and immortal. Regina didn't care about any of that. She only wanted to keep her daughter safe and for some reason because of everything that Danni had been through, Regina thought that she'd failed her somehow.

"I will not let you go until you know that I love you."

"I know you love me, Mom. Everything that you have done since I came home has shown me that. I know that you never gave up on me. I never gave up on this family. I need to do this for you...for Remy...for Henry...for Neal...for us. If I can't stop this army, magic dies. I don't want that happen."

"I don't either, Danni..."

"No buts, Mom. You are strong, but I am stronger. You know it. Ma knows it. The knights know it. I am the Dark One. No one messes with me without consequences. I would say that coming to the Enchanted Forest to eradicate magic is messing with me. Hurting Santana when we were on a scouting mission to help Ruby was messing with me. Sending missives that all magical beings are going to be sought and destroyed is just plain threatening me. I don't deal with threats well."

"I know that. I remember. Do me a favor though, this time, hmmm?"

"I promise I won't bring you back anyone's head."

"Or any other body parts," Regina added.

"Yes, ma'am."

Regina smiled at her daughter. She reached out her hand and conjured a sword. It was Danni's sword.

"You might need this," she told her as she affixed it to the horses saddle.

"Thank you."

"Don't thank me. Just come home. I don't care what happens out there, Danni. You come home to me."

Danni nodded in understanding. Regina took the opportunity to hug her daughter. During the embrace, Danni saw Rachel's eyes. They were wild and scared. When Regina broke the hug, she called her over. Rachel slowly walked towards them, unsure of why or what she was doing.

"Rachel, this is my mother. She is the Queen. You, my dear, are a princess and Vulcannonian. Do not worry about that for now. Learn from my mother. She will teach you things that no one else can. And, if you have time," she stated as she mounted back on her horse. "Ask Belle for the legends of Danielle Coraline French, Knight of the Realm. I think that you'll find them very interesting, but achingly familiar."

She grabbed the reins and spun the horse towards the portcullis. Nicola and Will took the lead and started out the castle at a mere walk as they were waiting for Danni to catch them. She sat a little higher in the saddle and turned around to face her family and friends. They were all there for her and she knew it. This wasn't just some normal scouting missing that the Vulcannonians were doing for the Crown. This was a royal going out to protect the family. She stood in the stirrups and turned to face them. She waved as she neared the portcullis with all of them following her to its archway.

"I'll be back in three to four days time. Do not worry. You will all see me again," she promised them as she lead the horse out the gate.

As soon as she was clear, she raised her heels into her horses flank. A faint "yah" could be heard from her lips as they all pushed their horses into a canter. A cloud of dust followed them as they went in search of the newest threat to the kingdom.

Rachel stood beside Regina. There hands clasped together for some reason. Emma stepped up behind them with Quinn beside her.

"She'll be back."

"I know she well," Regina answered."

"She promised," Rachel added.

"And, she always keeps her promises," Quinn finished the thought out loud for them all as took Rachel's other hand.

* * *

Miles away just outside of the Golden Kingdom, the Silver Army was setting up camp. They had no worries about the kingdom. Midas was not a threat to them and they didn't seek to destroy him...yet. He would be dealt with later. No, he wasn't their main target.

The General came out of his tent. He was awaiting today's scouting reports. Surely they had been spotted by the Three Queens and someone would be sent. He wasn't going to reason with them. He wanted magic destroyed and he would have it. He didn't care what the people of the Enchanted Forest thought. They didn't understand the problems that magic caused. He'd seen it. He wanted it gone. He'd spent his life finding a way to get to the Enchanted Forest in order to stop it and he would stop until he did.

He was sure that if they stayed there long enough someone would send an emissary. He would see them and then would sending the packing back to their crown with his demands. All magical creatures and beings would be surrendered and he would allowed the kingdom to live. If not, he would attack.

So far the smaller kingdoms had acquiesced to his demands for the most part. He knew that they had sent out their prisoners and troublesome beasts, but he wanted more. He had his ways of getting information and he'd found out that taking down the Three Queens would be the only way for him to get what he wanted. So he turned his sights on them. It wasn't hard to find those that wanted them deposed. It was rather easy while they were on the outskirts of the kingdoms and their allies.

But, now, he was at the heart of the kingdoms. Midas was a fierce ally to the Three Queens and wouldn't turn on them. He really didn't expect him to, but the knowledge that troops were be rallied for a defense was troubling.

"Dedrick, my liege," a scout stated as he neared.

"Come."

"Your reports," he said as he handed over the parchments.

"Dismissed," Dedrick stated as he took the parchments and waved the man away with his other hand.

The scout scampered off to his tent to await further orders. He knew that Dedrick was slightly off-kilter, but he wasn't going to say anything against him. He was a former scout for King George as were most of the troops gathered. George had no love for magical things either and only used them when they could benefit him.

As Dedrick read over the parchments, he noticed the same thing. The kingdoms were closing ranks. They knew he was there, but they weren't in any hurry to pursue him or find out what he wanted. They were bidding their time it looked like and waiting for the Three Queens to make a move.

He went back to his table and gathered his maps. He didn't have a big enough force to take on multiple armies, but the kingdoms didn't know that. He had most of his elite guard around him and scouts scattered through out the land. His biggest concern was the Ulflands. He had more scouts there than anywhere else. And, he found that most armies in the larger kingdoms had an Ulf retention. This troubled him more than anything.

"It doesn't matter, though," he said aloud. "I will find the bastard that did this to you, Claire and I will kill him. I will destroy this world if I have to. You will be avenged."


	37. Chapter 37

**Chapter 37**

Will looked over at Danni. She was leaning in her saddle. She was obviously tired. They had been riding for hours and only taking small breaks. It was time for them to find camp for the night, but she could tell that Danni would want to press on. They didn't exactly know where Dedrick was, but they knew that he was the problem.

"Danni, we need to stop," Will said pulling up closer to her.

"Just a little further," Danni told her.

"Danni, we need to stop. If we don't, the horses will kill over. We need to stop so we can be fresh, too, when we meet up with Dedrick's army," Will stated.

Danni hung her head. She knew that Will was right, but she wanted this to be over with. She nodded her assent and they started looking for a place to camp. Will went ahead and found a clearing.

Nick and Danni made their way into the clearing a few moments later. When they did, Will already had her horse unsaddled. Nick started working on her horse's and while Will took care of Danni's. Danni had pulled out her maps and was consulting them. She ran her fingers over the map letting her fingers graze of the topography. She was studying the lines and boarders between the different kingdoms trying to figure out where Dedrick was hiding. They had ridden out without a clue.

"We need to send ravens," Danni stated.

"If he knows what they are, he'll kill them," Nick stated.

"Can we protect them at all from him?" Will asked.

"As long as they have magic, no. He'll

know they are coming. I wish I knew who he had working for him. If I did, I would know more to tell you," Nick answered.

"Then, I'll send trained ravens. We need eyes on him. We don't know where he is or where he is going. We have an idea, but we don't know for sure," Danni said.

"I agree, but can we risk it?" Will asked.

"We have to...for all oursakes, " Danni replied.

Will nodded. She understood how hard this really was for Danni. Keeping her magic at bay, protecting her family, and trying to just live in this world was a full time job. Will loved her and was willing to do anything for her. She just wondered what she could do to help her now besides being by her side.

Danni conjured a raven. She pulled out some parchment and began to scribe a note to her mother. She would ask Regina for some ravens, but they would need to not have any magical charms on them, but able to take direction. She wondered if Regina had any ravens that could do that. She knew that if she didn't right at the moment, that her Mom would train them to do what she needed. That would be enough for now.

Nick and Will continued to make their camp, while Danni wrote her note. Nick eyed the raven but didn't say anything. She wished for some of the birds from Vulcannon, but she knew that the Rocs were long gone. They were smart and they could help. She couldn't help but wonder though.

"Wilhelmina?"

"Yes, Aunt Nick?"

"Are there any Rocs left?"

"I don't know. I haven't been out to the islands in years. Why does that matter now?" Will questioned.

"We could use the Rocs to help us find Dedrick," Nicola told her.

Will looked at her. She wasn't sure. She remembered the Rocs from when she was growing up in Vulcannon, but she couldn't remember seeing them in years.

When Will didn't reply, Nick looked over at Danni. She could tell that she was almost done with the note to Regina. She knew she had to take a chance.

"Ask her to see if they're any Rocs left in Vulcannon, Dark One," Nick stated.

Danni just looked at her. She had no idea what Nicola was talking about, but she knew that the woman was older and probably wiser than she was about the mythical creatures of the Enchanted Forest. What she knew about it didn't mean a damned thing anymore, because the world that she grew up in didn't exist. She'd made sure of that. So, if Nicola wanted to know about Rocs or whatever, she would ask her Mom, Regina about them. She nodded and added the note at the bottom. She rolled it up and handed it to the raven. The raven took it and flew away, back towards the Winterlands' castle.

"How long until we know something?" Will asked as she watched the raven fly away.

"A couple hours at least," Danni stated.

She was still hunched over the map. She knew that the Silver Army wasn't in Ulfland. The wolves loyal to Ruby had made sure of that. And, thanks to the their human protectors, lovers, and friends that lived on the outskirts of Ulfland where it butted up to other kingdoms, they were protected. They main battery of those sworn to the Brannonulf had moved into the interior and were protected by human guards. A few had made their way to the castle to protect it, regardless of the threat of silver. They would not abandon their Queen or her consort.

"Where are you, you prick?" Danni said aloud as she scanned the map again.

"Who has the largest silver deposits?" Nick asked.

"The Gold Kingdom of Midas and the Dark Kingdom, which Belle would be queen following Rumple's death. Or, would it go to Henry? I don't know. But, no one really lives there and those that do hate outsiders. They would attack without provocation and wouldn't ask questions later," Danni explained.

"Actually, due to the fact that the Dark One rules the Dark Kingdom and you are technically Belle's sister and the Dark One, it falls to you," Wilhelmina stated.

"It's mine?"

"Yeah, if you want. If not, it would go to Henry or Belle. The law is unclear on that because Belle was his wife, even at his death, and Henry is his grandson. Also, I highly doubt that Regina would allow Henry to rule it just because he was the grandson of Rumple. She didn't think to highly of Rumple's spawn, Neal or Baelfire, what ever you want to call him. But, I think it was just because he was Rumple's spawn. The man never really did anything to Regina except hurt Emma."

"Great," Danni muttered.

"Besides the land is protected by magic. You have to know the right spells to get in. I think that Regina is the only one that bothered to venture there and she took Belle with her. They were looking for something a few years ago. Some crazy pink potion, I think."

"So, we can rule it out. Unless he has Rumple or the Dark One, which is me, with him, he can't get in. Good to know," Danni stated as she waved her hand over the map and colored in the "Dark" kingdom.

It let her know that they didn't have to worry about it. Vulcannon wasn't colored in the same way, but it was a different color. Danni didn't want to admit, but she was afraid that there were more Vulcannonians out there and that they had returned home. If one managed to hook up with Dedrick, the realms of what they could do, especially if they had a Vulcannonian cloak, were almost endless. It didn't matter that Nicola and Wilhelmina both stated that the only survivors were back in the Real World, Earth, because she knew that everyone wanted to go home eventually. Could one of them come back? And, if they did, were they blaming magic for their problems, too?

There were too many variables and she didn't like it. Regina had made a name for herself and it wasn't a good one before Storybrooke. But, not all the kingdoms had a monarch or dealings with Storybrooke before they got sucked back to the Enchanted Forest. Some of the kingdoms were still wild cards. The Golden Kingdom was one of those.

"We should head for Midas' kingdom," Danni finally stated.

"Why?"

"I am not sure that I trust the Golden King. Sure, his daughter was friends with my mother, but I wonder how much that has translated back. In my timeline, he did side with us, but it was only near the end. He is worried about one thing and that is himself. How else do you end up with a curse of Golden Touch? He is too greedy and too worried about his own interests. Magic is not his friend, but he doesn't want to get rid of his golden hand because of his greed. He is rich in money, but not with life. His daughter learned from his mistakes. I am not sure that he wouldn't back the Silver Army if they promised to leave him alone," Danni suggested.

"That much is true. He does tend to wait to render judgement on anything, but he is an ally to your mother. His lands are bordering, but he has never gone against your mothers either. Be it because of his daughter, Abigail or because he doesn't like magic, I don't know," Will replied.

"Dedrick will not let him be. He will get what he wants and then he'll destroy them. Midas is only a stepping stone, a path to your family if he is using him. I don't think that Midas is smart enough to see that he is only protecting himself for a little while. As soon as Dedrick destroys magic, he'll destroy this world to make sure that magic can't come back. Magic is very hard to eradicate. I do believe that your brother, Henry, tried once. He brought it back to a land with no magic. Midas is only worried about himself. If he can't find a way out, Dedrick will kill him anyway," Nicola explained.

"Then, we need to find him even more. If he is in the Golden Kingdom with access to their silver minds, he'd have an unlimited supply of silver for his armor and weapons. We just need more information," Danni said.

"That is why we are here, remember to get more information and to possibly get a treaty of peace," Will reminded her.

"Do you honestly believe that he'll give us peace?" Danni asked her.

"We have to try, Danni. We have to try. For everyone's sake, we need to try," Will stated, knowing that Danni could level them all if she wanted.

* * *

Regina, Rachel and Quinn were in library. She wasn't sure why the two younger women were in there, but she didn't disturb them. It looked like they were doing research. She shook her head and continued to enjoy the quiet and peacefulness that the library afforded her. She didn't have to worry about anyone bothering her too much in there. They all knew that it was her "alone" space. If the servants needed something, they knew to seek out Emma.

But, for Regina, her curiosity always got the better of her. She knew that she shouldn't care, but she did. After a few minutes of internal debate, she got up and crossed the expansive area to sit with the two younger women. They reminded her so much of herself and Emma that it was uncanny on some levels.

"What you two looking for?" she asked.

Quinn looked up to her with her hazel eyes, unwavering and strong. Rachel cocked her head as her finger still traced the words on the page. She was the one who spoke, even though she didn't look up at the queen.

"We are trying to learn about our heritages," Rachel told her.

"From a book?" Regina asked with a slight laugh in her voice.

The disbelief in her answer made Rachel look at the queen this time. Their eyes met and held, brown to brown, almost as if they were kin. Rachel closed the book and sat back in her chair. She was used to this sort of scrutiny and she thrived under it in some way. Quinn waited to see how far Rachel was going to let this go.

"How else am I supposed to learn about it? No one back in the world we're from knows anything. All of this is just story and legend."

"Why don't you ask?"

Rachel seemed to be at a loss. She didn't seem to know what Regina meant. No one would have answers about this back in the real world.

"Who would I ask?" Rachel inquired.

"Me," Regina answered.

"Ask what?" Rachel questioned.

"What is it that you want to know?"

Quinn looked to Rachel and then back to Regina. She could see that Rachel was uncomfortable, but she wanted to know. Her fathers had never lied to her about her adoption, but now she felt alone again without really knowing who she was. Quinn wished that she could take that pain from her, but she couldn't. She'd seen it when Rachel met her mother and when she found out that Quinn was given Beth to Shelby to raise. It was a difficult decision for all of them, but in the end, it had been the right one. It had taken months for Rachel and Quinn to get passed that, but they did and were stronger for it.

"What can you tell us?" Quinn asked, curious as well.

"This world has always had magic. A form of mystery that can explain the unexplainable, but it goes deeper than that. It is a part of this world. Magic is like...blood, I guess. It flows through everything here. It is in the trees, the water, the sky. You cannot harness it all, but you can manipulate it. Magic is so ingrained in this world, that you can even write with it, smell it, taste it in the air. There are places so magical that only the daring go to see them. And there are places so dark, that monsters are afraid to enter due to the magic living there. Duality is everywhere here. For every good there is a bad and vice versa. We try to maintain order."

"Is that why you are afraid of your own daughter?" Rachel asked point blank.

"I am not afraid of Danni, Rachel. I am afraid for her. I've been tempted and succumb to the Darkness. But, just like you have your heroes and demons in your world, your gods and goddesses, the light and the dark, so do we. Emma is the Savior. She is the Light and the product of True Love. Her magic is based on love and that is where it comes from. Danni's used to be the same."

"What do you mean used to be?" Quinn inquired.

"She took Emma's place and became the Dark One in a feud between our family and Rumpelstiltskin."

"What happened?" Rachel asked.

"Before she came to you, she sacrificed herself to save our family. She is from an alternate timeline or something like that. She came back to the past to save Emma and myself from the growing dark magics of this realm that became known as the Blackness or the Darkness. She came back to Storybrooke and hid amongst us as Belle's sister for a short time until her magic was revealed. Then, she came clean about being our daughter. We tried to help her figure out how to stop the Blackness and how it came to be. When we figured it out, she gave up her own heart to save her uncle to stop the cursed Blackness from happening. But, in doing so, she started another Darkness to rise. Rumple was the Dark One, the Darkest and most powerful Dark magic being in our world. He was could be controlled by a dagger, and that was his Achilles's Heel. He was mad that Belle took Danni's side and left him. He was a beast that Belle fell in love with. They were married, but she realized that he never loved her the way she wanted him to. He was addicted to power and magic. So, she left him."

"I thought she was with Ruby?" Quinn stated in question.

"She is now. But, then, she wasn't. Rumple didn't take the divorce well. He aimed on getting her back. Only problem was that Danni didn't want them together. She knew that Rumple had something to do with the Blackness as well. She may have stopped the main cause, but she didn't stop it completely."

"Rumple went after her?"

"No, he went after Belle. And, as seeing as Belle and Ruby were the ones that raised Danni in her lifetime, she was have none of it. She decided to fight him, but we all tried to stop her. She charged in and in the end, Emma pushed him over the line with the dagger in is heart. The Darkness should have been defeated, but it wasn't. It was now no longer tethered to the dagger and it was looking for a host. It chose Emma because she was the closet magical being. She got very ill as her body tried to fight the darkness. But, in the end, she rather die than succumb to the Darkness. She chose death to protect us. Danni and I weren't willing to let her go. So, as she lay dying, I took out her heart and made it beat again. Little did I know that I was unleashing the Darkness from her body. Instead of it choosing me, someone who had chosen darkness at one point, it chose Danni this time. Now, I know why," Regina explained.

"Which is?"

"She has the ability to be the greatest among us, good or bad. She is the daughter of one of the most powerful sorceresses of this world, me, and one of it's greatest heroes, Emma. She was born from True Love which already makes her magical, but being the dichotomy of us...well...she was marked from birth."

"That is why she is so afraid to get angry..." Rachel mumbled.

"Yes. It is. She is afraid to be angry."

"Why?" Quinn asked.

"Because the last time she got angry, she brought me the man's head as an offering," Regina replied.

"She's like a Jedi," Quinn stated and then blushed.

"In a manner of speaking,yes, she is. She has to be careful with her emotions because emotions had a great deal to do with magic. If she isn't careful, she could cause some serious damage. And, that is why she is afraid. With you her magic wasn't as strong as it is here, she pushed herself the other day with you Rachel and she felt bad for doing it. It was just another stepping stone for her. She is afraid of what she might do if she gives in completely to the temptation of using her magic," Regina stated.

"Wait, you know what a Jedi is?" Quinn asked.

"I did live in your world for over twenty years and I had a young son. It would only be natural that I would learn about your cultures and such. I did take up some languages while I was there, too. It made the time pass by a little easier," Regina said.

"Some day, I want to hear about that, but today, I want to know about the High Elves," Quinn stated.

"Your researching your origins?"

"Yes," Rachel replied.

"Then, you'll want to start in that section over there. Also, you might want to ask Belle for help. She knows more than any of us when it comes to histories. She had plenty of time to read and study when she was growing up and when she was with Rumple. It is sorta her thing," Regina said.

Quinn looked over at the section in question. The books looked old and worn. She had to admit that it looked like a good place to start, but she wasn't sure that she really wanted to read about elves. She wanted someone to talk to her about it.

"But, what do you know?" Quinn inquired.

Regina looked into her green hazel eyes. They looked so much like Emma's that she couldn't help but smile. She could only wonder what Quinn wanted to know. She didn't know if the girls were upset at finding out that they were from magical lineages or that they, too, were from the Enchanted Forest. For Rachel to be Vulcannonian and Quinn was a High Elf, it had to be something difficult to take on. Not only were they finding out that their best friend and benefactor was a magical being, but that she was also the most powerful Dark magic being that the magical worlds knew. They landed right in a fight and now, they were still trying to figure out who they were.

"The Elves were the first to leave our land and then the Vulcannonians. The Vulcannonians left because they were dying here. We still don't know if it was something that Rumple did because he wanted their cloaks or if it was an actual illness, but either way those that could left, never to be seen again," Regina told them.

"What about Will?" Rachel asked.

"She fled before the Vulcannonian Plague wiped those out that stayed. I don't know if she was immune or not, but she lost her entire family but her Aunt Nicola is seems. It is a very hard subject for her to talk about, so I don't push for details. Besides, she was afraid of what was going on between us when she fled," Regina explained.

"Do I want to know?" Quinn asked.

"How much time to you actually want to talk about this?" Regina countered.

Quinn smiled. She understood snark. She nodded at Regina.

"Fair enough, but the Elves?" she inquired.

"The Elves were a superior race. Immortal and magical. It is said that Vulcannonians are bred from Elves and humans, but no one is sure. Elves were woodland and nature bases and Vulcannonians were fire and mountain based. Maybe they are cousins in the evolutionary chain. I don' t know, but it doesn't really matter. Elves are especially good trackers and archers. Their site is unparalleled," Regina stated.

"That explains so much," Quinn mumbled.

"Is there anything else I can tell you now?" Regina inquired.

"I'll let you know," Quinn replied.

"Will and Nicola would be better to ask about Vulcannon as they were both born and raised there, but Will is a little different. She went into the protection route as a Vulcannonian knight because of her brother. She was raised to be a princess, but a knight more than a queen just like Nicola. Nicola is the Princess Royal and the head of the Fire Legions. She is the protector of the portals, too. I am sure had the plague not started, Will would have taken a similar role under her father's rule or her brother's. That didn't happen and now she is effectively a queen without a country," Regina told them.

Quinn nodded. She understood what that was like. She felt for the two woman that were related to her wife. She hoped that they could all bond better when Danni and crew got back, but she was afraid that Danni wouldn't want to stay any longer.

Just as her thoughts were turning sour, she saw something out of the corner of her eye. A large black raven flew through the high open window in the library and landed next to Regina. Regina looked down at the massive bird and then took the note that was attached to it. She read it carefully. When she looked back up, she found the questioning hazel eyes of the blond High Elf facing her. Rachel was reading histories as the Regina locked eyes with her.

"Want to take a trip to Vulcannon?" Regina asked with a little bit of hesitation in her voice.

Quinn just smiled. She could only guess what the note said, but she knew it was important. She nodded as she elbowed Rachel, hoping she would agree to go as well.


	38. Chapter 38

**Chapter 38**

"Sir?"

"What?"

"We've word that the Wolves are mobilizing towards us," the knight told him.

"Then extend them our greeting. Send out some silver and line the boarder with it. That should hold them in long enough for me to get what I want."

"Yes, sir," the knight replied, saluted and left.

"You think that you can outsmart me, but you can't. I will find you and I will end you. There is no where that you can run. I will destroy everything you love, just like you did to me. I will have my vengeance. You will bow to me and beg me for their lives..."

"Sire," a page said as he brought in a meal.

"Good. Any word from Midas? Has he agreed to my proposition?"

"He has sent ravens to the Queen. He is awaiting her answer. He will let us know within two days."

"Fool, but I'll give them the time. It won't matter anyway. They will die for protecting her," Dedrick told him.

"Yes, sire."

* * *

Regina stood in front of Emma. Rachel and Quinn were by her side. Emma did not look happy.

"Take someone else," Emma demanded.

"I have a High Elf and Vulcannonian with me. We'll be fine. I'll be back before breakfast. Promise."

"You'd better or I'll come after you myself," Emma warned her.

"I know that you would rather go, but you don't know this world like I do."

"We've been here for eight years. What else is there for me to learn? More mythology?"

"It isn't mythology if it is real, Emma. Look, I know that this isn't ideal given the circumstances, but I cannot explain where you need to go to look for the Rocs. I know where to go because I've been to Vulcannon. And, besides, would you deny Rachel the privilege of seeing where her ancestry is from?" Regina asked with a cunning smile.

"You know that I wouldn't if it wasn't the fact that there is some maniac out there that wants to destroy us all because he hates magic. I am sure that she can handle herself, but this isn't New York. This is the freakin' Enchanted Forest, land of dreams and fairy tales. This isn't some cake walk," Emma replied.

"Who said anything about walking?"

"What are you going to do to get there? I know that your magic is strong, Regina, but I don't think that you can poof three people. Have you ever tried?" Emma questioned.

"No, I haven't. And, no, I am not going to try right now, either. I have a mirror to use. I've kept it just in case. It is up in the library. I've used on occasion just to visit."

"Why? Why wouldn't you tell me about that? Why would you go alone?"

"I wanted to make sure that it was safe for Will to go back if she wanted. I wasn't being selfish about it. I was going to give the mirror for her birthday, but something came up and I decided to wait. She doesn't know either. I am sure if she did, even though I have released her as my personal knight, she would have broken the mirror."

"She is as stubborn as you are," Emma stated.

"I know, but we care for each other. We've spent too much time together. We understand each other on a level that most people can't. I know that you understand it because you've seen us together, Emma. She was my best friend when I had no one."

"And, I would never take her from you. You know that. But, seriously?"

"I'll take you after everything settles. Would that make it better? Would you like that?"

"Yes, it would. But, wait...is it safe for Vulcannonians to go? With the plague and all? What about Rachel?" Emma asked her as she turned to face the shorter brunette.

"From what I can tell, yes, it is. I have brought artifacts back for Will to assess and see if she reacted to any of them. She didn't. I've also been taking care of some things there to make it possible for it to be recolonized. I was going to leave that option open for Wilhelmina to decide. We thought that she was last. And, now, we know that she isn't, but she is Vulcannon's rightful heir and it's Queen. There is nothing left that could hurt any one of Vulcannonian descent."

"You're sure?" Emma probed.

"I've burnt most of the realm," Regina admitted.

Rachel and Emma both gasped. Emma wondered if it was the most logical thing to do, but she didn't doubt Regina's ability to destroy. She knew that she wouldn't have done it on a whim. Setting fire to an entire kingdom, albeit an island nation, must have been a tremendous undertaking and she knew that Regina wouldn't have done it lightly. She could only imagine the devastation that she'd seen that brought her to such a recourse.

"I am sure that it was necessary," Emma started to say.

"You didn't see it, Emma. Trust me. I didn't start the fires without thinking. I honestly didn't want to burn most of it, but I couldn't trust that the plague wasn't in remission just waiting for a new and unsuspecting host. I couldn't allow that to happen after I witnessed first hand the Vulcannonian Plague, " Regina explained.

"I didn't know. But, I am glad that you have taken all the precautions that you can to prevent it's spreading again. Go. Find whatever Danni needs and hurry home, love," Emma told her as she leaned over and kissed her. "I'll make sure that no one knows you three are missing. I'll tell the staff that you are all in the library and not to be disturbed until further notice."

"What are you going to tell Brittany, because she'll know you're lying?" Quinn asked.

"The truth, alone with Santana and Belle. I'll take care of things here. Go. Now. Before someone finds out," Emma instructed.

"Find out from Snow what you can," Regina told her as she kissed her again and they left the study.

Emma nodded and followed behind them. She headed to Ruby's suite while they headed towards the library and Regina's personal quarters. She knew once word was out the staff would obey. They loved their queens. Emma also knew that Regina would magically seal the doors to both areas with blood magic to prevent anyone from entering before she wanted them to do so. Emma would be allowed, but she wouldn't cross the thresholds either, out of respect for her wife.

* * *

"Sire?"

"What?" he asked crankily.

"We've word from inside the Winterlands Palace," he told him.

"And?"

"Nothing strange is going on. They are acting like business as usual except for the fact that a delegation has been sent out. No one knows who is in the delegation or what it is for. And, ravens for the most part have stopped to all the other kingdoms."

"Are the Queens still in house?" he asked the page.

"From what our spies have found out, yes, they are. The White Princess is training troops like usual and the Dark Queen is preparing treaties with their allies. They are not preparing for any attack or preparing to attack."

"Good. Then, I shall catch them unaware. Tell our spies to keep up their mission and stay close to the castle. I want to know the second something changes."

"Aye, my liege," the page said as he left Dedrick's tent.

"I will have you, Devil spawn and will take them all with you. You will pay. You will pay."

* * *

Danni leaned back against the some rocks in their little camp. They had purposefully not worn the colors of the kingdom. Will was hesitant, but she understood. They would change into the colors of the kingdoms they were searching so they would be over looked. It maybe true that they were on a political mission, but they needed the element of surprise on their side. If Dedrick knew where they were, he would send a contingency to stop them. They didn't have time for that. They needed to assess him and his forces and make a decision. And, Danni could only hope that it was a decision that Regina would agree with after the fact.

"What are you thinking about?" Will asked her.

"Dedrick," Danni answered.

"Why?" Will questioned, wanting to really know.

"Nicola, what else do you know about him? What can we expect from him? Should we be worried?" Danni asked the older woman.

She wasn't ignoring Wilhelmina. She honestly wanted to know. She thrived on information. And, information is what they needed.

"The man is a psycho."

"I already know that much. What else can you tell us? Anything?"

"He's from Earth. I think he from the Midwest of the United States. I not sure exactly, but it was from somewhere very religious. Magic was a sin there. He hates magic with a passion and he seeks to destroy it. Something about it being God's work or some shit. I didn't ask too many questions while he was trying to use the portal at Petra. I was too busy trying to keep him out of it and keeping him from exposing the magic of the area. He kept saying that he was going to get his vengeance for some loss and he was looking for the one that took her from him. I didn't get her name. I just heard someone refer to him as Dedrick. From there, I did my own inquiries," Nicola answered.

"So?" Will probed.

"I am not exactly sure what happened with girlfriend. Something in New York was as far as I got. The people there didn't know her. It is like she just disappeared. And, had it been me and I'd been with him, I'd've disappeared in New York, too."

"Magically disappeared?" Danni asked.

"I have no proof. So I really don't know. He believes that it was, though."

"Great," Will muttered as she moved to check their surroundings once again.

"Do you ever stop?" Danni questioned.

"Stop what?" Will asked.

"Searching for something."

"I'm checking our surroundings. I know that we are immortal, but an ambush is an ambush. I'd rather not get caught aware. Besides, it is my job to protect the royal family of the Winterlands, which still includes you," Will stated.

"But, who protects you?" Danni asked.

Nicola laughed. She couldn't help it. Her niece was just as clueless as she had been before she left Vulcannon. She never thought about anything but the mission, but now, she had more to worry about. Life changed when she had children. But, looking at Will she saw herself when she was younger. The longer she thought about it, she realized though that she was the one that was tasked with protecting the royal family of Vulcannon, no matter how small it was now, which meant that she was the one that supposed to be protecting Wilhelmina.

"That would be my job," Nicola stated after a long silence.

"Excuse me?" Danni questioned.

"You asked who was supposed to protect her. Wilhelmina has become the Queen of Vulcannon and as the head and lonely knight left of the Royal Guard and the Phoenix Legions, that appointment falls squarely to me. She is my responsibility."

Danni and Will both turned quickly to face Nicola. Neither of them had thought about that factor. Will was a queen in her own right, but she didn't care. She kept going like she was Regina's knight. She never pushed her status and she didn't really care about it.

"I am a queen without a kingdom and I am okay with that," Will stated.

Nicola hung her head. She felt the loss of her family, her kingdom, and her friends, again. Wilhelmina, Queen of the Vulcannon, was just another knight to the realms of the Enchanted Forest. Vulcannon might as well not exist. The land of the Immortals was gone in a sense and from the memories of the people that lived there.

"We could restore it," Nicola said.

Will just shook her head. She wasn't worried about Vulcannon. She was worried about Danni and Regina and the House of Swan. That was her duty. She was never meant to be Queen and she didn't want the responsibility.

"My duty is to the Queens of the Enchanted Forest and their alliences. Vulcannon is gone. The people are dead or gone. There is no kingdom to rule. There is only barren wasteland that is covered in a plague. Why would I subject those that survived to go back? Forget Vulcannon. It's gone," Will said as she stood up. "I'm going to scout a little ways up the road."

* * *

Regina escorted Rachel and Quinn through her rooms into the Hall of Mirrors. They past through it and into a small room with three mirrors. They looked at the all but didn't say anything. Regina walked to the one on the most right and waved her hands over it. A purple haze glowed over the glass and it shimmered.

Suddenly, there was a scene in the mirror. It wasn't dark and gloomy like they expected. It was lush and green. The sun was shining and the sky was a brilliant blue with just a few clouds. It actually reminded them of Hawai'i.

"Where is that?" Rachel asked?

"That is Vulcannon," Regina stated.

She took a step towards the mirror and placed her hand upon the glass. They watched in awe as it sank through the glass. She lifted her leg and started to step through as well. She turned back to face the two younger women.

"Coming?" she asked as she completely stepped through the mirror.

Rachel and Quinn followed her through the mirror. They were amazed at how soft the grass felt beneath their feet. This truly looked like paradise.

"We need to head to the top of those mountains there," Regina told them as she pointed off in the distance.

"How long will that take?" Quinn asked.

"We have until tomorrow to get back. We need to be there by night fall if we can. It's a lot of walking, unless we can find some horses. But, first, I would like to arm ourselves," Regina stated.

"Arm ourselves?" Rachel asked.

"While no one lives here, Little One, there are still things that could possibly hurt us," Regina told her as they moved around the field they were in.

"Where exactly are we in Vulcannon?" Quinn asked.

"This would have been the castle courtyard," Regina answered as she moved toward some fallen stone structures to her left.

"Are there horses here?" Quinn asked as she followed the Queen.

"Yes, beautiful black horses. They are the most regal steeds I've ever seen here. They are native to these islands. They feed on the lush grass and the brush," Regina replied.

Regina looked through the overgrowth, but didn't see what she was looking for. She waved her hands over the stones and the growth. It receded and a charred wooded floor appeared. She stepped onto and waved her hands again. The walls seemed to rebuild themselves on one side. When she seemed happy enough with the growth, she lowered her hands and looked to Quinn.

"Pick yourself a bow and quiver. We don't have much time. I want to be on the path to the mountains quickly," Regina told her as she grabbed three swords that were hanging on the wall. She also grabbed a spear. She handed a sword and the spear to Rachel, who looked at her bewildered. Quinn would have laughed at the sight had it not been for the memory of what Danni did to Rachel in the castle armory back in the Winterlands.

Quinn took a bow of the wall and tried it several times. When she deemed it worthy, she grabbed two quivers, slinging one on her back and affixing the other to her belt. Regina cocked an eyebrow at her but said nothing. Instead, she handed her one of the swords.

"Time to go," Regina told them as she walked out of ruins and towards a path that was less grown over than the surrounding area.

Rachel and Quinn followed behind her without much fanfare. Rachel stayed closer to Quinn, but she kept pace with Regina. If they were surprised by her knowledge of the area, they kept it to themselves as they walked.

Finally breaking their silence, Rachel leaned over and asked Quinn, "Does she really expect to harm an animal with these?"

"If you need to, Rachel, I am sure that you will. It is just for protection. We are hunting. We aren't actively out seeking to harm. This is only as a precaution and nothing more. Don't worry your pretty little vegan head about it. I doubt that will even have to use them," Quinn stated as they kept walking just a few steps behind the queen.

* * *

Dedrick paced inside his tent. He didn't like waiting, but he knew enough about the legends of this world not to press his advantages...yet. He would wait. He would pout about it, but he would wait. He had waited this long. He could wait a few more days.

He walked out of his tent. He surveyed his camp. They were all polishing their silver armor. The horsemen were caring for their horses and the armor. The smithies were making more silver armor and swords. He was armed and he was ready. They were just maintaining and preparing for more recruits. Dedrick was sure that his recruiting mission were going to be very successful. He was just waiting for more men to come to their camp.

"Sire?" page said walking up to him.

"Yes?"

"The men are practicing in the field."

"Is there word from Midas yet?"

"No, sire. He is still waiting to hear from the Swan Queen. According to his missive, she hasn't answered him yet."

"He's is stalling," Dedrick replied.

"Stalling, sire?"

"He's keeping us at bay for some reason," Dedrick mumbled.

"Sire?" the page asked again.

"Send some scouts to Midas' castle. I want it surrounded. I want to know what is going on. I think he is planning something and I want to be prepared for it. Go and make sure that there is way he could get anything by us," Dedrick commanded angrily.

* * *

Emma sat in the throne room. She was bored, but she was doing her duty. She missed having Will and Danni by her side. She understood their absence. She was proud of her daughter for doing something to protect the family, even if it meant her losing her mind again. Emma wasn't too worried about that, because she knew that Regina, Will and herself wouldn't let it happen. Plus there was the added bonuses of having her friends from New York in house, too.

She missed Will's wit. Will would actually keep her occupied on the days that she held court in Regina's stead. She helped to keep Emma focused and would remind her of precedents that she didn't know about or give her an idea of how Regina would rule in each complaint. It was almost as good as having Regina there with her some days. But, Emma didn't have that luxury today. She was alone with her own sense of justice to rule on things. Normally this wouldn't bother her, but her mind was not on court. She was too busy thinking about her family as they were spread all over the Enchanted Forest.

"Majesty?" a squire asked.

"I'm sorry. What was the complaint again? Can you repeat that me?" Emma questioned the two people in front of her.

The page gave her a look, but didn't say anything to her. Instead, he leaned over to another page and sent him away to go get something. He looked to the Queen to see how she wanted to proceed with Court for the day. It was obvious that she wasn't ready to hear anymore requests.

"No worries, Majesty," the page said turning to face the complainants and the rest of those at Court for the day. "Her Majesty is closing court for the day."

There were rounds of protests from those there. Emma had never closed court early. She couldn't remember Regina doing it, either.

"Court will resume at regular hours tomorrow. For those of you who didn't get to present your case, see the scribe and list your complaints. The Queen will rule and send you their decisions. If you don't wish to do that, see the scheduler to be put back on the docket. Otherwise, come back tomorrow to receive your rulings," the page said addressing them all.

Emma quickly stood, "For those who wish me to render my decision by writ, please come an hour early. I will have everything ready for you by then. Thank you."

The audience bowed and made their way out of the hall. The page followed them out and closed the doors. He turned to go back to attend to Emma.

"Is there anything else that you require of me today, Majesty?" he asked.

"No, there isn't. Thank you for that. Please make sure that you bring me all the complaints that are given. And, start a complaint system for that as well. It will save time for Court to deal with more important matters of State."

"As you wish, Majesty," he replied, before bowing and backing away.

She sighed. Ruling was still hard for her. Being sheriff and dealing with matters of justice were easy, but sometimes she wanted to bash their heads together for the petty bullshit that they wanted to bitch about at court. It wasted time and most of the time, they never got the resolution that they wanted. But, the Queen's word was law and therefore final.

She stood up and walked down the dais. She made her way to the door when the page stopped her. He had a handful of parchments in his hands.

"Majesty, the complaints," he stated.

"Thank you. And, if you get anymore before tomorrow take them to my quarters. Queen Regina is not to be disturbed. She is working on her magics. Understood?" Emma asked.

"Yes, Majesty," he replied with a deep royal bow before turning to leave.

"Page" Emma said, stopping him.

"Yes, Majesty," he responded.

"What is your name?" Emma questioned.

He smiled. He bowed again. He stood up to his full height, not more than five feet and proclaimed, "I am Godric of Konrad, Knight Guard of Royal House of Swan."

"Konrad? My captain of horse? You're his son?"

"Yes, Majesty."

"Good. Follow me. We have some business to attend to, squire."

"Excuse, Majesty?" he questioned.

"You are no longer a page, young Master Godric. You are now my squire and personal assisstent. Do you think that you are up to the job?"

"Oh, yes, Majesty, I am," he answer puffing out his chest.

"Then, bring those and follow me."

"Yes, Majesty."

"And, Godric," she started.

"Yes, Majesty."

"Drop the Majesty shit. It annoys me. Got it?"

"Yes, Maj...I mean, yes, ma'am," he replied.

"Better. We'll work on it. Come on."

It was just then that Brittany found her. She didn't look too happy, but she didn't too upset. Emma nodded at her and then cut her eyes to the boy.

"Godric, please retrieve my dinner and bring it to my suites. The Lady Brittany and I will dine in there. And, make sure that no one disturbs the Queen."

"As you wish, ma'am," he answered as he went scurrying off.

"We need to talk," Brittany stated.

"I know, but not here. In my rooms. Follow me. I have my own study."


	39. Chapter 39

**Chapter 39**

They had been hiking most of the day, but Regina finally found the cave system that she was looking for in the Eastern Fire Mountains. She was surprised that Rachel didn't complain the entire trip. Quinn kept her eyes peeled and her bow at the ready. Regina didn't believe that they would be attacked, but she wanted to be ready. No one had really been in the regions since the plague had wiped out most of the populace.

"Just ahead," Regina said as they neared some caves.

She could hear the cries of a beast, but she didn't know if it was what she was looking for. It didn't sound like a legendary bird to her, but then again, Regina had only seen them in flight. She knew that the Fire Mountains were there home and even the Vulcannonians gave them a wide berth. She wondered if they were like other birds in speech, but as they neared she stopped. She bent down and picked up a feather. It was extremely long. She'd never seen a feather that long.

"What is that?" Quinn asked as she looked at the feather that Regina was holding.

"It looks like a feather from a Roc," Regina replied.

"How big are they?" Quinn questioned, the worry in her voice very evident.

"Big enough," Regina said as she walked a little further into the cave.

Quinn and Rachel followed her inside. She reached down and picked up a stick. Mumbling an incantation the end of the stick caught fire and became their torch. Regina led the way, Quinn at her back, arrow notched and ready to fly. Rachel wasn't far behind them, but she started to feel odd. She didn't know if it was just being there, the land of her ancestors or if she was worried about their mission.

They came around a corner in the cave and it opened up into a huge chamber. In the middle of the chamber was a huge nest, centered under a ray of sunlight. They all looked up and saw an oculus hole in the ceiling of the cave. Rachel and Quinn studied the cave and the way the light hit the walls.

"It's a time keeping device," Rachel whispered.

"By the looks of it, it tracks hours, days and months," Quinn replied.

"Rocs are considered to be very smart, and some, I've heard can speak," Regina added.

Rachel and Quinn looked at each other. Their shock was evident, but they were good enough not to say anything. They followed Regina as she lead the way into the chamber more. There were feathers everywhere. It was obvious that if a living Roc lived there, it was huge. Rachel moved closer to Quinn. She wasn't sure if it was because she need the silent strength that Quinn gave her or because she was actually scared of meeting some giant bird.

"Have you seen any on your adventures here before?" Quinn asked.

"No," Regina answered.

Quinn just nodded her head as they continued to move around the cave. Just as they came to a section that looked hollowed out, they heard a high pitched squawk. As they turned towards the sound, Regina put her arms out to keep them behind her.

"Whoooo arrrreee youuuu?" the large bird in front of them asked as it came closer to them and under the light provided by the oculus.

"I am Queen Regina of the Winterlands and the Enchanted Forest, my liege," Regina answered with deep bow that Quinn and Rachel mimicked.

"Annndddd, thheeeemmmm?"

"This is Quinn Fabray of the Forest Elves near Rivendale, my liege," Regina said as Quinn deepened her bow.

"Annndddd, hhhheeerrrrrr?"

"She is the granddaughter of Nicola, the Princess Royal and Pyroxes, younger sister. She goes by Rachel Berry, and is new to this land, my liege. She is a Guardian."

"There are no Guardians, save the missing daughter."

"Wilhelmina?" Rachel breathed.

"Yes," the large bird replied as took a more neutral state.

"She is my cousin," Rachel stated.

"She is here?" the bird questioned cocking it's head back and forth, watching them.

"She is."

"Why are you here?" the bird inquired looking back at Regina more fully.

"My liege, we seek your help. The Enchanted Forest in under attack by an outsider who wishes to destroy magic. Your Guardian, her mate and the Princess Royal have gone to try to negotiate with their leader. We are asking for your help and support in this process," Regina stated.

"Wilhelmina has called upon us?"

"She has, if you are willing to come," Regina answered.

"Can she speak for herself?"

"She could if she were here, my liege," Rachel replied. "That is why I have come in her stead. I am a Princess of Vulcannon and I have come to ask for your support."

"So, Vulcannon will rise from the ashes again?"

"If you will help us with your greatness, my liege," Rachel added.

"She was right to send you, Little One," the great bird told them.

"My liege, is there a better name to call you?"

"I am a Roc, is that not enough?" it countered.

"It is, my liege, if you wish us to call you Roc. But, if you wish, we can call you by your name. Or, we can come up with something we can pronounce in our tongue if it too difficult for us to pronounce in yours," Rachel offered.

"I have no name."

"You have no name?" Quinn asked taking a step towards Rachel.

"She is your mate," the bird asked Rachel as it gestured towards Quinn.

"She is."

"She is your knight?"

"No," Rachel answered.

"She protects you like a guardian."

"She is my lover and as such wishes to protect me. I have no knight where I live. I have friends and we all protect each other. I guess you could call them my entourage, but they are not my knights, my liege," Rachel explained.

"Tell me more," the bird commanded.

Rachel bowed to the large hawk like bird as she moved to a small patch of rocks to sit. She made sure to keep her eyes on the bird, never break its gaze as she moved. As she did she mumbled something about Harry Potter was right about a few things and this was so not Hogworts.

"What would you like to know, my liege?"

"The one you call Guardian, Pyroxes' daughter. You say she protects you. Why?"

Rachel swallowed. She wasn't sure that it was something that she wanted to remember, but she knew that the Rocs could help. If a story is what they wanted, they would get one.

"Her mate saved my life in the realm that I grew up it."

"Another realm?"

"The realm with no magic," Rachel answered.

"Ah, that is where she was hiding."

"My liege?"

"The missing daughter of the Guardians fled magic, but only came back for her mate. How fitting for her being second born," the giant hawk told them. "However that is no matter. Since you are a Guardian of the Roc, you may name me."

"What?" Rachel asked.

"When Guardians find Roc as hatchlings, they name us. Since, the Guardian is not here and you are. You assume that role. You are by blood a Guardian."

"She is, my liege," Regina stated.

"Then youuuu name meeee," the Roc replied.

Rachel sighed. She wasn't ready for this much responsibility. She wasn't sure what to call the large bird. Hawk seemed too obvious and not very original.

"Do you not have a name that you use with the other Rocs?" Rachel asked.

"Squawwwwwwwww!"

"Well, that won't do either," Rachel said.

"What about Phoenix?" Quinn asked.

"Phoenix was a great leader of ours that left our land many years ago for the land with no magic to help the people there. He took some Rocs with him. No one has heard from them again. Do you still have Roc's in that world?" the Roc asked.

"No, my liege, we do not. But, your great leader and others like him are remembered by different people in our world. They haven't been forgotten. Their legend lives on."

"That is good. To be remembered is an honor that every Roc strives for. So many have gone before without names, that is why we stay in our caves. With the Guardians, we are nothing," the giant hawk explains.

"Well, that ends, now. I, Rachel Berry, of the house of...Nicola, Princess Royal and General of the Phoenix Legions, hereby by the powers on my royal standing as a Guarding of Vulcannon, name you Thoran the wise, leader of the Rocs. Let the Rocs rise again and help the Guardians in their quests to protect this realm and all its magic," she told it.

"I, Thoran, swear do as asked," he replied.

"And, the rest?" Regina questioned.

"We shall come to your aid, my Queen. The Rocs will stand with the Enchanted Forest, if my Guardian wishes it," Thoran told them all.

"I do," Rachel replied.

"Then, go home. The Rocs will be there soon. And, my Guardian?"

"Yes, Thoran?"

"You might want to get Nicola and Wilhelmina to come back soon," he suggested.

"Why is that?" Quinn questioned.

"There are a lot of Rocs that will need names," he told them.

Rachel looked shocked at his statement as he took off towards the oculus. Quinn grinned as Regina laughed. They had the Rocs now for their army. Rachel wasn't sure what that meant for them, but she was glad that they had more help. Hopefully the sight of a large animal and a lot of them would make the Silver Army rethink their mission.

* * *

"Any word from your mother?" Will asked Danni.

"Not yet," Danni said as she woke the next morning.

"How long are we going to wait?" Nicola asked.

"As long as we need to. Has there been any new developments since last night? Did anything happen?"

"No, he has been cautious. He is pulling his troops in closer. I think that Midas has told him that he won't help the way he wants him to. The Golden King has not forgotten the alliances of old," Nicola replied.

"Can we get word to Midas?"

"Not without getting caught," Nicola stated. "I've already probed that idea. Unless you know a back door into his castle, we aren't getting through."

"Do you have a mirror?" Danni asked.

Nicola looked at her like she was crazy, but Will was smiling. She knew exactly what Danni was going to do. Why hadn't they thought of it sooner? Mirror magic was better that walkie-talkies and hardly detectable. It was a helluva lot better than ravens that Dedric could shoot down and capture.

"No?!" Nicola replied.

"Anything like it?" Will probed.

"Just a blade," Nick stated.

"What about a pool?" Will asked.

"A what?"

"A water mirror! Of course, its perfect. I'll need somewhere to cast one. And, I will need protection to do it. It will shine like a beacon for Dedric to see if he is looking for magic. We'll have to find somewhere to do it in the dark or in shadows."

"There was a set of caves a league East," Nicola stated.

"Then we go there," Will replied.

* * *

"Sire?"

"What!?" he yelled as he rubbed his temples.

Why could he not just get what he wanted? Why was it so hard? Why was everyone against? Could they not see that he wasn't just doing it for himself?

"The Golden King has closed the kingdom and is preparing for you to invade."

"I know that."

"Well, it seems that he has gotten help, milord," the squire relayed.

"Help? From where? And, why wasn't I told?" he demanded.

"We aren't sure, milord. The Imp is looking into it, but he doesn't have any answers. His only response is that there is more than one way to enter a kingdom. Mayhaps, his help used a way we didn't know about."

"Bring me that IMP!" he exclaimed.

The Imp was his prisoner, but he was helping him for his own agenda. Dedric wasn't sure what that agenda was and he wasn't sure that he wanted to know either. As long as he got his revenge against the man that killed his beloved, he would be happy. Destroying magic was just an added bonus. The Imp wanted more destruction and he was willing to give it if it meant he got his vengeance at the same time. He saw their partnership as win-win.

"Yes, milord," the squired yelped as he ran from the tent to get the Imp.

* * *

Emma paced just outside Regina's suite. She didn't want to bust up in there, but then again she did. She was worried. She hadn't received word from Regina since the day before. She was to be coming home today and tell her what she found.

"She'll be here soon," Brittany told her.

"What do you mean?"

"She is on her way back now. She has succeeded in her mission. They will join us. But, you need to calm down. You body is giving you away, Emma. The people can see that you are worried about something. You need to relax and be the Queen's Consort, the Queen and the General that they know," Brittany told her.

"How is Red this morning?" Emma asked changing the subject.

"She is well. She should deliver soon. Are you ready for that? To have two pups in the castle?" Brittany asked her.

"I wonder about that."

"Why?"

"Will they be pups or babies? I know that they are Wolves, but what form will they take as kids. I've never been around Wolves to know. And, Red was already an adult when we met. She was also born and not bitten. Granny was bitten...I guess it doesn't really matter. I will love them because they will be my niece and nephew. Just like Danielle Coraline is my niece," Emma stated.

"Ah, yes, Belle's daughter...has she returned from the Ulflands, yet?" Brittany inquired.

"Not that I know of. She isn't considered Brannonulf because she is Belle's daughter. It doesn't matter that she is Red's too. The Ulf won't accept her because she wasn't born of Red. Red's marked her, too. It is a shame. That girl is amazing."

"How so?"

"She has Wolf abilities without the need to faze into one. She is super strong and fast. She has a very keen sense of smell and hearing. And, she understands the Wolves when they are in form. She's our translator. But, it is astonishing to see her run with Red during the full moons. For whatever reason, the magic did turn her when she was conceived."

"That must be an interesting story," Brittany hinted.

"Let's just say that as much as Belle and Red love each other, Danielle wasn't exactly planned in the most conventional way. She was born of magic and love, but it was kinda forced on them. I am not sure if it was their insecurities that caused it, but it happened. Danielle was born two and half months later with her bright blue eyes and shock of dark hair with beautiful reddish highlights. She is a beauty, but how could she not be with her parents? But, as she grew, Granny noticed that she wasn't like other Wolf pups. She had that ability, but she wasn't controlled by the moon. When she didn't faze at age five, Red began to seek council with the Ulf leaders."

"So no one knows why she hasn't turned?" Brittany asked.

"They don't. They also don't know if she will ever turn. If she does, she might actually become Red's legitimate heir and a Brannonulf. Right now, she is just a Half-Blood, and as such can have no claim to the throne without proving that she is a Brannonulf. And, to do that, she has to faze into full Wolf form in front of the Council of Ulf."

"And you have no doubt that the twins are pups?" she questioned.

"Not since you got here," Emma stated.

"Should be worried about Danielle?" Brittany inquired.

"No, she wouldn't do anything to hurt anyone in this family or kingdom."

"Why do you say that?"

"Because I have sworn my allegiance to my Aunts Regina and Emma," Danielle said as she came up on them so quietly that neither heard her.

Brittany jumped and this amused Emma. It was the first time that she has seen the Empath surprised. It figured that it would be Belle's daughter to do it.

"Hey, Danielle," Emma said in greeting.

"Morning, Aunt Emma, Mum still with Momma?"

"Yes."

"Good. Then I will tell you that the the Ulf resistance has moved into the Golden Kingdom and is working their way towards the Silver Army. I know it wasn't what was planned, but they refused to wait for Wolves to move," Danielle stated.

"The Half-Blood Army?"

"Yup," Danielle quipped with a smile.

"You are so Red's child," Emma replied with a laugh.

"I never denied that, Em. Where's Coraline? I wanted to see her when I got back," Danielle said.

"She's off playing hero again, but she should be home soon," Emma told her.

"And, Aunt Regina?"

"She took a trip to Vulcannon," Emma replied.

"Damn, I wanted to go with her next time she did. Oh well. I'm sure that she'll be home before dinner. Where's Remy?"

"She should be in her rooms. Her lessons start in an hour, so if you go now, you could play with her until then. Then I want to hear what you have to say about Midas and the Ulf, got it?" Emma asked more as command than a question.

"Yeah."

"And, Danielle..."

"Yes, Auntie Em?"

"Go see your mothers, too," Emma told her as she and Brittany watched the dark haired girl run down the corridor.

The faint sounds of "yeah, yeah" following back towards them as she ran away. Emma couldn't help but laugh at her niece's antics. She was more trouble than she appeared and Emma wondered if that was her own fault. She'd allowed Danielle more freedoms than Neal or Remy could ever have. She taught her to fight much younger. She gave her responsiblities much younger. Hell, Remy and Danielle were the same age, but no one would believe that. Danielle had always been bigger, stronger, and faster than anyone else in age group.

"Her being a Half-Blood has come in handy for politics, I gather," Brittany stated.

"It has. She grew up quickly like most Wolves do and reach the age of maturity at age five. She barely nine and looks like a teenager. She can get into places we can't, because she isn't really seen. No one in the castle thinks about her as a child, but as a page or something. She uses that to her advantage and gets access to people that, sometimes I wonder if she really should, but we can't. She walked right into Midas' castle and delivered a message from Regina, I'm sure and the spies that Dedric has around the castle were none the wiser. I gave up trying to ask questions about her a few years ago. She has Belle's brains, Red's brawn, and Regina's smarts. She's frankly frightening when she wants to be and I'm glad that she is very loyal to her family," Emma explained.

"That is always very good. Loyalty means a lot to this family. Do you think that Danielle thinks she has to do these missions because of loyalty or because she wants to?"

"But, we don't use her that often. I love Red too much to do that to her. As much as Danielle has done for this family since her birth, I would never willingly send her into battle. It is the same with Danni. I would keep her here if I could, but I know that she would just sneak out and go on her own," Emma replied.

"She intrigues me," Brittany admitted.

"Why?"

"I can't read her. Her feelings and thoughts are guarded. I can't feel her coming up on me. She was the first person since we got here that could do that," Brittany stated.

"That could be a good thing," Emma said.

"Yes, because I know who the spies are in the castle."

"And, you haven't told us?" Emma questioned.

"No, I told the captain of the guard. They have been quietly removed as to not raise suspicion amongst the rest. It was quiet ingenious of me, but I didn't want word getting out that they had been found. I've also alerted the captain to those who are from other kingdoms spying, but not doing anything against the kingdom. I think that they are here mostly for court gossip and to stay abreast of current events for their kingdoms knowledge," Brittany told her.

"You are loyal to us, but you aren't a member of our family. Why? Can you tell me?"

"Danni is my family. San is my family. Quinn and Rachel are my family. As long as Danni stays here, you are my family, too. You've taken us in with no question. You've helped us learn more about ourselves. You've made us stronger. You did that out of loyalty for your daughter, just same as I do," Brittany answered.

Emma nodded. She'd seen it with her own eyes. The girls closed in around Danni and protected her just as Danni had stood up for each of them. They were loyal to each other. Emma was proud of that fact. She might not know what happened to her daughter in "Real World" but she knew that she had a support group that would protect her, fight for her, fight with her, and be there for her no matter what came knocking on their doors.

Just then, Regina, Quinn and Rachel came out of Regina's rooms. Their clothes were dirty and they all has swords, causing Emma to cock an eyebrow at her wife. They smiled as Regina glided over to Emma, gave her a big kiss, and then smiled.

"We have much to discuss," Regina told them.

"But, did you succeed?" Emma asked.

"We did," Quinn said. "Well, I guess I should say that Princess Rachel did. Since she is Guarding of the Roc."

"What?" Emma asked as she took Regina's hand.

Regina just waved off the question as she turned them to the throne room. She started walking and she knew that Emma would come along. They could talk about it later. Right now, she wanted to focus on the kingdom.

"All we need to worry about right now is what Danni finds out. We need to meet with our allies to see where we stand. Can we still send Ravens?"

"Thanks to some undercover work, yes. It shouldn't be a problem. By the way, Danielle is back from the Ulflands. I've sent her to Belle and Red."

"Well, that is an unexpected surprise. I am sure that she'll want to do something. She has to know that she doesn't need Red's approval, she already has it."

"She does Regina. She does. She is just trying to prove her worth since she hasn't become a Wolf. She doesn't know what to do as a Half-Blood. She has the power without fazing. It isn't easy for her. She doesn't know what world to belong to, ours or the Wolves. She's still trying to find herself. But, she did say that there was a small unit of Half-Bloods working their way through the Golden Kingdom on her orders."

"What does that mean?" Regina asked.

"I have no idea. You'll have to ask her. I didn't debrief her completely. I was too worried about you," Emma admitted.

"Then, I'll do it," Regina stated.


	40. Chapter 40

**Chapter 40**

Regina made her way out of the castle and to the forest alone. She knew that it wasn't smart to be there alone, but she doubt that the Silver Army would dare be that close to her so soon. They were gearing up for an all out war and she was almost ready for them.

As she walked the thought about battle strategy. She knew that he was thinking that he wasn't going to have the upper hand, but he didn't know Regina as well as he thought he did. She just needed to make sure that Wolves and the Summerlands were still on her side. As she continued, she wondered how she was the one that always found Ruby and Belle's daughter, Danielle. It didn't make sense as she was her aunt, but the more she thought about it, then more she kind of understood it.

She was Danielle's half-aunt through Ruby. Danielle wasn't a Wolf like her mother, but she did have some magic like her Mom, Belle, and her aunt, Regina. She was special to them all. She was the first of the New Borns. She was a half-blood and she knew that it hurt when the Wolves didn't fully accept her. It was one of the reasons that Regina had taken a liking to the young girl. She could see the anger and resentment building in her as a child. She knew that Danielle couldn't help growing up as quickly as she did. Sure, Henry was in his twenties, but Danielle who was barely eight, like Remy, looked like a teenager. She acted like one, too. She wasn't spoiled and Belle refused to let her act like a privileged royal brat. Henry loved to care for her and in another life, they might have been closer, but Regina didn't think they would ever be anything more than cousins and friends. While Henry was a peacekeeper and talker, Danielle yearned to prove herself. She looked for battles were they weren't any. She acted like a Wolf, but she never phased. At one point, she was given to Will to handle, but even the Vulcannonian had a hard time with her.

As Regina neared the well, she wondered what was so special about the well. Danielle was always at the well. It wasn't until she saw the tall, gangly brunette by the well that things started to make sense. She'd grown up on Belle's stories about Coraline. Hell, she was even named after her, even if was backwards. She was Danielle Coraline Lucas as apposed to Coraline Danielle French, supposed sister to Belle and the name that Danni had been using in her original timeline.

Her dark hair was French braided and out of her face, but her piercing blue eyes could make men stop in their tracks. She was looking down at the water and deep in thought. Regina couldn't see her eyes at that moment, but she knew that they would be swirling in emotion.

She'd given Belle some guidance when it came to Danielle. Since Henry was coming into his own right as Crown Prince of the Enchanted Forest, he had been doing diplomatic missions around the kingdoms on Regina's behalf. They were small missions, mostly trade and just visits, but they were a start to his royal duties. She'd sent Danielle along with him as semi-guard to her son. Danielle loved it. She'd been training with Will and Emma and she felt like she had a purpose. It wasn't until later that Regina gave her the surprise of her life.

She was Belle and Ruby's first born daughter, but she wasn't born of a Wolf and by her fifth year it was known that she wasn't going phase. Regina started looking into the lands of the Enchanted Forest and realized that Belle not only had the Duchy of her father but also Rumple's former castle and lands. Sure, Rumple wasn't really a king, but he thought himself one as he lived in his castle up on the hill looking down at the lands below. They named the area the Dark Kingdom. And, while Belle would have gladly handed it over to the newest Dark One, Coraline; she couldn't. Coraline had been "dead" at the time and no one knew when or if she would return. So, Regina devised to make Danielle, the Crown Princess of the Dark Kingdom. It just made sense because they knew that the Wolves would never take her as the new Brannonulf once Ruby died. This way, Danielle would have her own kingdom, her own place among the royals and the Wolves would have to respect that of her.

Of course, Belle had resisted at first. She wasn't sure what would happen to her daughter if she lived in the Dark Kingdom. No one was. But, after several trips there with Henry on diplomatic missions and reconnaissances, she found that she fit in. The people took to her quickly, but she was still not well enough known outside the Winterlands, the Dark Kingdom or the Ulfland as more than a guard to the Prince and a royal aide-de-camp. She was a travelling princess. It gave her more time to see things and she was the perfect spy for her Aunt Regina. Ruby was just happy that she was happy, because she knew what it was like not to fit in.

"Danielle," Regina said announcing her presence as she neared the well and Danielle's sulking form.

"I thought you were busy with battle plans," Danielle replied, not looking up to see her aunt's approach.

"I though you were with your mothers awaiting your siblings arrival," Regina countered.

Danielle looked up and faced her aunt. The contemplation on her face was evident. Regina didn't slow. She just moved a little faster to get to well. She knew that Danielle looked up to her. They had become unlikely friends and allies in the castle. She knew that Regina cared for her like her own, but she also knew why. Regina might not have known it at the time, but Danielle did. She didn't resent the fact that she was named after Coraline. No, she loved it. She hoped that she could live up to her namesake's name and continue to bring honor to her family.

"They don't need me as much as you do," Danielle replied trying to smile at her aunt.

"I doubt that," Regina answered.

The smile didn't fool Regina. She knew that Danielle felt out of place in the castle. She was always looking for the next mission. Her restlessness reminded her of Emma so much. She tried to help her as much as she could. So, did Emma, but it was ultimately Belle that saw the need to make her an ambassador of sorts. Danielle was a mixture of the four most powerful women in her life. She had Belle's brains, Ruby's braun, Regina's magical skill, and Emma's need to serve, but she didn't have to learn her love of family. That was inherent.

"How are the pups?" Danielle asked.

"Why don't we go find out?" Regina counted again.

"I have news for you," Danielle said changing the subject quickly.

"I know."

"You're not asking?"

"You'll tell me when you're ready. I know you. I know how you think. Did you forget that your Mother and I are the ones that taught you. Ruby and Emma may have trained you in war and tracking, but it was your time with Belle and I that honestly made you who you are. Don't deny it. I see it in your all the time."

"At least someone does," Danielle pouted.

"Why are you here?" Regina inquired.

Danielle looked back down at the well. She looked at the cover that once entombed her cousin, Coraline. She pointed to the name on the massive concrete slab. Regina had stared at it for hours after Coraline gave her the memories back. She came there often in the afternoons to think. Emma didn't even know to look for her there. Ruby would have been able to track them if she wanted, but that was something Ruby wouldn't do. She trusted her daughter and her sister. She didn't need to know where they went as long as they came back to the castle and weren't injured. Belle had been worried about Danielle, but she let it go at both Regina and Ruby's insistence. It wasn't until she proved that she could handle herself, thanks to Ruby and Emma's training, that Belle finally backed completely down. It was in that moment that Regina and Danielle shared a moment, a loss and grief, over a woman that they barely knew.

"Does she know that you come here?" Danielle asked.

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because I don't know that she would approve of it," Regina answered.

"Same here," Danielle replied.

"But, why here, Danielle?"

"A few months ago, I came here."

"Yeah?" Regina urged her on.

Danielle turned and leaned against the stones of the well. She knew that the well had magic and she wondered if she would ever use it. As child, well, just a few years ago, she dreamed of jumping in the open well and going to Storybrooke. She hoped that in doing so that she would have been back there in the past, before she was born, before Remy was born, while Coraline was alive and trying to save the town. She just never told anyone that she was always drawn to the well. Like it was calling her...for something more.

"I came to the well and peaked inside. The water was swirling. Magic was filling it. I didn't know what to do. I couldn't leave though. It was like I was meant to be there at the time. I was drawn to it. Then I heard a voice call me from the depths below. Normally, I would have run back to the castle, but I didn't. I couldn't. I needed to know what was in the well."

"What was it?" Regina probed.

"It was Coraline. She was writhing in pain. She looked horrible. I could see the Darkness inside her. I couldn't feel it, but I could it vying for her soul. She was fighting it. Oh, gods, was she fighting it. She screamed in pain and I reached down into the depths to try to comfort her. Her eyes opened and she looked at me. It was like she was staring right into me. She was trying to figure out who I was, but she couldn't place me. She knew that she was related to me, but she didn't know how."

"What happened?"

"I told her to fight. I told her not to give in to the Darkness. That her family loved her. That I loved her. I told her who I was. I told her that I was named after her and for a brief second, she smiled and the pain seemed to relent. Then her body convulsed. She twitched and she moaned. I knew that I couldn't help her, but I wanted to so badly. I wanted to jump into the water. I wanted to take her place. I'd read the stories, but they were just stories, you know? I didn't know how much of it was truth and none of it was from her point-of-view. But, seeing her there, I knew that I could something. I had to," Danielle told her.

"What did you do?"

"I poured every bit of magic and love that I had into the well."

"What did it do?" Regina questioned.

"She calmed. Her spirit fought back harder. I could the Darkness retreating. I knew that it wouldn't be an end all cure for her, but I knew that I could give her something to hold on to. She knew that if I was alive and knew who she was that she succeeded in her mission to save us all. I knew the real stories, the stories that Mother hid in the back of the library. We shared a moment again. I could feel her fighting back. I could feel her magic reaching out for me. I gave her all that I could, but I am not as strong as you are, Aunt Regina. I couldn't save her then, no matter how hard I tried," Danielle explained.

Regina started to cry. She remembered Coraline writhing on the pallet at the Abby as they tried desperately to find some way to take the Darkness from her. But, then Coraline had calmed. She'd talked to them all. She told them what had to happen. She made Ruby promise to bury her in the well hoping that magical waters would help her find her way back. And, they did. It took years, but Coraline had come back to them. She was different, but she'd fought so hard against the Darkness.

"You did help her, Danielle. You did. You gave her peace long enough for her to save us all, to give us the instructions on what to do when she finally succumb to the Darkness. You helped her, help us. You helped save us all," Regina told her.

She slid down the side of the well until her butt hit the dirt below. She sobbed. She cried. She didn't know that she had done anything. She'd thought that it was a dream. She thought that it was just her imagination. She'd never known that she was the one that gave Coraline the boost that she needed in order to fight back. She was the reason that Coraline didn't give in. She fought back and she came back to them.

"Do you think that she remembers me?" Danielle asked her.

"I am sure that she does," Regina replied.

"I need to see her," Danielle said.

"You can't," Regina stated and then added more as soon as she saw the pain on Danielle's face. "She is out with Wilhelmina, and Will's Aunt Nicola. They are trying to figure out what the Silver Army is doing. They are doing recon for me. She is still fighting for us."

Danielle smiled. She was proud to be named Coraline now. She'd fought and fought. Coraline was the Survivor. No matter what life or magic threw at her, she always found a way back to her family and home. She continued to save them even as the Dark One. She'd found the peace that she needed to live with both magics inside.

"So you come here to be close to her?" Regina asked breaking their silence.

Danielle shook her head "yes." Regina knelt down in front of her. She gathered her up into her arms. She didn't know how she missed how out of place that Danielle felt. She should have seen it. She should have known. She loved the girl like she was her own, but she hadn't seen the sadness in her clear blue eyes.

"Come on. Let's go back and talk with your mothers. I am sure that they can't wait to see you."

"What is going to happen with me in the war, Aunt Regina?"

"I am not sure."

"I want to fight," Danielle declared.

"I know you do, darling, but I don't know that I can let you sacrifice yourself for us, yet. You still have a kingdom to run and family to love. Plus, you're really barely nine. You still have a lot of life to live," Regina told her as she helped pick her up off the ground.

"I may be in eight, but I don't feel like it. I don't look it either, and you know it. I'm not like Remy. I can't be," Danielle stated.

"Trust me, I know all of that," Regina said as she took her by the arm and hand.

They walked back to the castle, arm in arm. The warmth that she'd missed for so long she felt coming from her aunt. Regina was the only one that ever tried to understand her beyond who she was. She knew that it didn't make sense to anyone else, but she'd do anything for her aunt, her family, her kingdoms, but most of all for her Queen. She may not be a Charming, but she fought like one.

* * *

Danni sat up and looked around her. Will and Nick were still by her side. The dawn was over and they knew that they needed to get some information and get home quickly. Danni looked at Will. She still couldn't believe that the Vulcannonian loved her. There was no reason for it.

She hadn't forgotten Will. She couldn't. Wilhelmina was the love of her life. No matter how much she tried to fight it, she would always come back for Will. Even in her darkest moments, she thought about getting back to Will. Will was the one thing that truly kept her going. Of course, she never told anyone that. She viewed Will as her weakness in the beginning, but then she learned the true value of love and its strength. Then, she wanted it back. She wanted to bathe in it. She needed to. And, it wasn't just the love of Will that kept her driving on.

She knew that people feared her somewhat, but they trusted her. It was only because she was a knight and Regina's daughter. She knew that, too, and she used it when she needed to. This was no that time, though. She kept her name under the radar and let her legend proceed her. Regina knew that it was for the best. Belle kept the legend alive and Will spoke of the battles that she was in. People were aware that Danni was the famous Coraline, but she could only wonder if the leader of the Silver Army knew that too.

Most kingdoms feared her. Most realms were worried for their safety when she showed. Regina had only used her in extreme cases and the world in which they lived in now, didn't really know her awesome power and what she was actually capable of doing. It worked in her favor, but it also made for a lonely existence.

"What's wrong, Danni?" Will asked.

"I don't know. Something isn't right. Things don't seem right."

"Like how?" Nicola questioned joining their conversation.

"I don't know. Things just seem off. The army hasn't made a move since yesterday. They have to know that we are here," Danni stated.

"I am sure that do, but should be we be worried about it?" Nicola questioned.

"I think we should. I know that ravens can't be used, but there has to be a way to get word back to the Queens. We need to warn them that the army is preparing for war. They need to know that we aren't going to be able to stop them by normal means. Life means more. We need to get back. We can't learn anything from them. Their leader is prepared to wipe us from this realm and any realm that has magic. He is afraid and fear is the only motivation that he has. He has used that to gain his armies, but our allies are strengthening behind his walls. He doesn't even realize it. He can't win the fight here. He has no contingency plan to get away. He is planning a full frontal assault. And, he isn't going to stop until he is dead. Defeat will only be a set back," Danni explained.

"And, when did you come up with this information?"

"While on watch last night. We've been so close to him and he hasn't sent anyone for us. Instead he's sent runners back into Midas' kingdom. He thinks that Midas will help him, but he won't. He was biding his time and waiting to see what this Silver Army could do. They've been camped there for weeks and haven't tried to go into the city. Why? Why is he waiting?"

"Because he is afraid?"

"No, it is because he's realized that he won't win. He doesn't know how to proceed. He's looking for a hole, but thanks to Mom's quick thinking and Emma's battle planning, he's pinned in. He can't escape. He's angry. And, we are backing him into a corner. If we get any closer, he might strike."

"And, if he does?" Will asked.

"I'll kill him. He is mortal. He is weak, but there is something else in his camp that he doesn't want us to know about. And, that is what we need to find," Danni said.

"How do we do that?"

"I'm going to see him."

"No. Absolutely not. You are not going in there on your own," Will demanded.

"Yes, I am. By now, Mom has gotten the Rocs on our side. The Wolves are silently working their way around the borders. Knights and soldiers from every kingdom are getting ready to descend upon an open Golden Kingdom. Midas will throw open the gates and let his armies out while welcoming all the others in his lands. A decree will be issued later today and the Silver Army will start to see they cannot win. They will begin to question his leadership and his willingness to die. He's trying to do this, but why? What is his actual motivation? Until we know that, he will still be dangerous. If we can remove his motivation, we can stop this whole thing from blowing up into something that cannot be stopped or controlled," Danni told them.

"He will hurt you," Will said.

"He can't. I'm immortal just like you are. Why do you think that Mom agreed to this? Hmm? It was because she knew that we wouldn't die. We could as close as we want and there is nothing that he can do about it. This was just the beginning of his end. I am going in there just after noon. I want you to report back to Mom our position and what we know. I'll take care of this," Danni instructed.

"I can't let you do that," Will stated.

"And, why not?"

"Because I promised your mother that I wouldn't let you give into the Darkness and smite him," Will replied.

"I didn't say anything about smiting. I am going in there to talk to him. He wants to torture someone. He wants to end magic. I am going to make him see that he can't. Magic is everywhere in the in the worlds with no magic there is magic. It is born from hope and despair. It breeds with loves and rage. Magic is in all of us, but he has lost his way and can't see that. I am going to show him the way back. I am going to figure out what motivates him and take it from him. He wants my magic? Then let him try to take it. He had to use magic to get here. He'll have to use magic to get home. I am going to make him see the errors in his thinking and his logic. He needs to know that he can't kill magic any more than he can kill love," Danni told them.

"Please don't do this..." Will almost begged but Nicola reached out for her arm and pulled her back.

"Go with no weapons then, Danni. Show him that you aren't a threat. Make yourself out to be the victim and draw him in. He won't be able to refuse you," Nicola told her.

"Thank you," Danni replied as she dumped her weapons beside them.

Will looked like she watching her jump through the portal back to New York again. Danni could see the pain in her eyes, but she had to do this. She could only hope that she understood that. This wasn't Will's fight or Nicola's. They had their own problems to deal with, especially Rachel and the future of the Vulcannonian race. Danni could do this. She knew that she could. She knew that her mother wouldn't approve of her methods, but that Regina would still trust her anyway. She knew that the commander of the Silver Army would try to crush her. She welcomed it.

The beast inside her was begging to be released. The Darkness was stirring in a way that she hadn't felt in millennia. She needed to let her rage go. It had been building again and she was afraid of herself. It was one of the reasons that she didn't want to stay in the Enchanted Forest. She didn't know how long she go without raging on something. This was just an excuse and welcomed distraction. It was the perfect way for her to unleash her Darkness and not hurt anyone she cared about. It was a safer bet than jumping back into the well...she would if she had to, but she hoped to see Red's pups before she had to escape again. She needed to make sure that everyone was safe and cared for. She knew that Will would fight her on this, but she needed Will to know that this was her choice and not the Darkness'. This was her fight and she would win. She had to.


	41. Chapter 41

**Chapter 41**

Danni peered around the trees and into the clearing before her. She wasn't that amazed at the army assembled before her. She could care less about the numbers. She knew that she could take them out easily. It didn't matter what magicks that Dedrick had at his disposal. She would end him. He didn't understand how magic worked and she knew that she couldn't die. A smug smile crossed her face as she watched the troops he had around him. She spotted him easily.

She shook her head. Only a pompous ass would dress himself like he did and then make sure that he had troops around him. It told her a lot. And, the biggest thing was that he was afraid. He was on a crusade to end magic everywhere, but he was deathly afraid of it. He was also using magic to defeat magic. He really didn't understand the laws of magic and being in a magical world, he was about to suffer for his ignorance. But, not only would he, the magicians that were with him would as well. More than likely, they were untaught and rough with their magic. They saw it as a means to an end. They were using it for profit and it would be their downfall.

She was trying to find the best way to walk in without being detected until the last second. She knew that it would be a futile effort, but she wanted to see how much of a problem that Dedrick and his Silver Army were going to pose. She knew that surrendering herself wouldn't stop his madness. She would be the one that did that. She finally saw her opening and decided to see how long it would be open for her. She knew that she would have another chance, because of the changing of the guard around Dedrick. But, what she was really worried about was Will and Nicola coming up behind her or trying to stop her from doing this all together.

It was about another hour or so before she stood up and moved through the underbrush again. She crept along making sure not to alert anyone to her presence. When she found the hole she was looking for, she moved through it and into the heart of his encampment. She entered an armor tent and took up some. She wanted to walk around, blend in for a while, and scope things out. She had her own ways of getting word back to her mother without Regina or Will knowing about it until it was too late.

The men looked ragged and worn, like they had been hiking and prepping for far too long. They were dirty. They didn't look like they were too happy to be there. So, she found a campfire just a few hundred feet from Dedrick's command tent and sat down. She didn't say anything. She just waited because she knew that the men would tell her what she wanted to hear. She knew that like anyone, a little down time and a beverage in hand, complaining would follow. She just needed to bide her time.

"Do think that Midas will let us in the city?" the man to her left asked the circle.

"No, why would he?"

"I thought Dedrick told him that we would raid the city if he didn't," the man replied.

"You can't raid the Golden Kingdom. Many have tried and all have failed. It doesn't matter that Dedrick has his sorceress at his side. She can't stop Midas' touch. The man can literally fund an army until the end of time. Besides, he's loyal to Regina. And, while she isn't the Evil Queen any more, she is still the Queen of the Enchanted Forest. Midas isn't going to break that alliance. She has too many kingdoms behind her besides her magic."

"Aren't the Charmings on her side now?" another soldier asked.

"Yeah, Regina is their daughter in law," a dark haired woman replied.

"Wow..."

"So, why are we here? And does Dedrick really think that he can win this fight? I've heard the Ulf are on the move, too," a blond soldier stated.

"They are," Danni said.

"We're doomed. Between the Winterlands and the Summerlands, throw in the Golden Knights of Midas and the Weres of Ulf and we'll be slaughtered," someone added.

"We should leave in the night," the blonde said.

"We can't. You know that. Dedrick had that sorceress cast a spell. Once you're in camp you can leave without his permission. Something about words being his bond," the dark haired woman stated.

"Can we get around it?" a different soldier asked.

"Only if we have orders."

"Can we fake them?"

"They would need his signature or that of his sorceress, but you know he doesn't let anyone near her tent. He's very protective of her. And, he'll never sign it. He wants us all close. He'd rather us die then himself, selfish bastard," the dark haired woman replied.

"I'm still trying to figure out why I'm here. Did you come of your own free will? Do you remember?" the blonde asked the dark haired woman.

"No, I didn't. I woke up in camp after working my family's fields. My two little brothers are here, too. They told me they were in the barn working on their morning chores when all of the sudden they ended up in camp. I don't know what magicks Dedrick has, but for someone that doesn't life magic and is trying to destroy it, he sure is using it a lot. What do you remember, Trane?" the dark haired woman asked him.

"I was just getting ready to go out on my fishing boat at the harbor on the edge of the Summerlands when I woke up in a tent. I was dressed in his colors and had armor. That is all I know. I haven't seen anyone else that I know from my tiny village, but I've seen people from the market village that I sell and shop in," Trane answered.

"What about you?" the dark haired woman asked Danni.

"I showed up a day or so ago. I was at my house and then I was here. Like Trane, I just woke up in a tent with armor," Danni replied.

"How do we stop him? How can we get away? I don't care for magic, but even I have to admit that it is helpful sometimes. I don't want to destroy it," Trane said.

"I don't, but I want to look around some more. I know I'm new, but I want to get the lay of the land. I want to know what he's got before we all get slaughtered for him," Danni told them.

"I'll go with you," the dark haired woman stated, standing up.

Danni stood, too. She really didn't want the company, but she didn't want to shake the woman off yet. She could be helpful because she had been in the camp longer than it seemed anyone. She knew where they were allowed to go and where they weren't. It would be those areas that she would be the most interested in.

"Okay," Danni answered as she followed her away from the campfire.

"Have you had guard duty yet?" the woman asked.

"No, I haven't. Is it hard? I am not sure what I am supposed to be doing here."

"It puts you closer to Dedrick, but really only his tent. He barely leaves it. I think he's paranoid."

"He never leaves it?"

"Well he comes outside to bark at us, give us some weird morale talks, and to shout order, but other than that, no."

"And, no one goes in?"

"No one but his page," the woman answered.

"Who's the page?" Danni asked her.

"I don't know his name. I've never heard it. But, he's never far from Dedrick's reach. He does most of the order giving, too. If I didn't know that Dedrick was in the tent, I would believe that he was the one in charge not some of the generals that are here," the woman stated.

"What's your name by the way?" Danni asked her as they got closer to Dedrick's tent.

"My name is Andrea, but everyone just calls me Drea," the dark haired woman told her.

"Fair enough," Danni said as they stopped just in sight of Dedrick's tent, but far enough away to talk.

"Do you really think that you could do something that no one else has been able to yet?" Drea asked her.

"I didn't say that. I just wanted to know what we were doing. But, it does seem odd that Dedrick keeps himself so isolated and expects that the troops would follow him blindly. He has to be using magic. I mean, how else did we all end up here like this? And, how else is he keeping us here?"

"Just be careful. He keeps spies among us. You never know who they might be," Drea told her.

Danni just nodded at her. Quickly Danni cast a spell on Drea. She needed to know if she was on the right side of the magical fight. Drea checked out. Heeding her warning, she cast the spell farther over the camp. Those who were firmly in Dedrick's camp and believed what he did glowed for her. She knew that no one else could see it. She would use that to her advantage. She needed to get closer to the one of the glowing members. Maybe they could get her closer to the sorceress or to Dedrick. She didn't want to start something that she couldn't get out of. She needed to plan it out better. She needed a little more time, but she didn't know how to get word to Nicola and Wilhelmina.

* * *

Regina stood in the middle of the courtyard. The Rocs were flying in and her smile could light up the entire kingdom. Emma and Rachel stood back and watched as Regina greeted each of them, bowing low and smiling. She seemed happier than she had been in days. Quinn joined them at the edge of the courtyard. Her smile rivaled that of Regina's. They were all amazed that the beauty and grandeur of the majestic birds were.

Rachel stood back and waited. She knew that Thoran would be the last to come in and Regina would welcome him like a head of state. And for the Roc, he was. Rachel was the only Vulcannonian at the castle and she knew that she would have a lot of work to do with the Rocs before any battle would happen. She would have to name them in her aunt's and Wilhelmina's absence. She watched on as Regina greeted them all. When she saw Thoran begin to make his descent into the courtyard, she pushed off the wall she was leaning against and started her way towards to Regina.

Quinn fell into step behind her. Rachel knew that she was there. She also knew Emma would follow them as well. She looked down at the royal blue dress that she was in. She couldn't believe that Regina had given her the dress. It was too nice, but she surmised that Regina was trying to treat her like the princess that her blood afforded her. She still wasn't too keen on the idea, but she was learning to live with also knew that if she didn't look like royalty when Thoran showed up that he would question her and Regina's need for them to be there. She also knew that he would want to meet Quinn and Emma.

They stopped just short of Regina. The Rocs were all forming up like platoons in the courtyard. The men of the Winterlands formed up as well. As the armies stared at each other, Rachel finally stepped up to where Regina was standing. As she made the steps forward, Thoran landed before them. Regina and she bowed just as Thoran bowed before them.

"Hellllooooo, my ladiiiieeeesss," he squawked out.

"My liege," Rachel answered as she rose from her bow.

"Guardian, is this your mate?" he asked.

Quinn bristled at the question, but Rachel slowly reached back for her hand. She saw that Regina did the same thing for Emma and Emma stepped forward taking her hand. Quinn reached out and met Rachel's hand.

Thoran bowed again. Rachel squeezed Quinn's hand and she bowed back. As Thoran raised his head, he met the questioning eyes of Quinn. He cocked his head and let his golden eyes roam over the blonde. She watched the giant bird as he gazed over her.

"Yes, Thoran, she is. Her name is Quinn and she is an High Elf of the Woodland Elves. She has been by my side for a very long time."

"Sheeeee issss special," he replied.

"She is."

"And, this is your mate, Queen Regina of the Enchanted Forest?" he asked turning to face Regina now.

"Yes, my liege, she is the Queen Emma, my consort, wife, and first knight," Regina answered.

Emma bent at the waist to bow. She didn't curtsy. And, she watched as Thoran watched.

"My liege, I am Queen Emma Swan, General of the Enchanted Forest. Welcome to the Winterlands and the Enchanted Forest. I am glad that you are here."

"Yoooouuuuu arrrrrreeeee Snnooooowwwww'ssss?"

"She is my mother and Queen of the Summerlands, my liege," Emma replied.

Thoran nodded his massive head. If the bird could smile, he was Emma was sure of it. Regina waved him over to a small area in the courtyard. It was shaded and bore some large barrels of watered down wine and fruit for the Rocs to imbibe. Regina had really outdone herself with their arrival. But there was something else in her eyes that Emma couldn't place. There was a mirth that she hadn't seen since Storybrooke. Regina was starting to be truly happy again. If the Rocs could give her that, then Emma would do whatever was needed to keep them happy as well.

"Princess Rachel," Thoran said as he turned back to face her.

"Yes, my liege," Rachel replied.

"Where is the queen and her consort?"

"She is near the Gold Kingdom. Princess Nicola and Queen Wilhelmina went with the Princess Coraline Danielle to scout out the camp of the Silver Army. We are awaiting word to send troops to aid them," Rachel answered.

"And the Phoenix legions?"

"Are all gone, my liege. Nicola, Wilhelmina, my mother and I are the last of Vulcannonians. But, as the last of the royal houses of Vulcannon, we stand with the Queens of the Enchanted Forest. We've pledged allegiance to the Kingdoms of the Enchanted Forest. Our word has not broken. Wilhelmina still serves the Queen Regina as her Royal Vulcannonian guard. And, as the Princess Royal, I have sworn my service to her as well," Rachel said and gave him another deep curtsy.

He curled his legs under him and sat down. He wasn't so monstrous like that. He cocked his head and looked around the courtyard at the men and his fellow Rocs.

He squawked and all the other Rocs sat down as well. He let out a series of chirps and whistles and another a Roc came up and sat beside him. This Roc looked battle hardened. There were torn feathers and what looked like a scar running from the edge of his beak down its throat on one side.

"This is my General, Princess," Thoran told her.

"Should I name him?" Rachel asked.

The newest bird stood to his fullest height. He spread his massive wings for Rachel to see. He was obviously proud and a strong warrior. He was trying to show Rachel his prowess and his loyalty to her at the same time.

"He's a Thunderbird," Emma muttered, but Rachel heard her.

"Thoran, should I name him?"

"Yesssss, my laddddyyyy," Thoran replied.

Rachel took a step towards the warrior Roc. She noted his dark and light brown feathers. His head was covered in white feathers. He resembled a large bald eagle, but he was most definitely a Roc. She bowed to him and he bow in return.

"Myyyyy laddddyyyy," the warrior Roc said in greeting.

"In my world, there are eagles that look like you. They are noble and strong. They are symbol of my kingdom. The knights and warriors of my kingdom there wear him as a symbol. But, I don't believe that I want to name you after him, general. I believe that you need a stronger name than his," Rachel told him.

He puffed up, obviously happy with her assessment. Regina smiled. Emma wondered where she was going with her little speech.

"But, there is a legend among the natives of my kingdom. A bird, a warrior, that lived in the western parts. He was revered and feared in equal parts, but he was a friend to man. Like you, he was a warrior, too. The natives used him as a symbol as well. I believe that you would be better suited with his name."

"And, whatttt issss thatttt, myyyy laddddyyyy?" the warrior Roc asked.

"He was called Thunderbird. I believe that I will name you Thunder. Do you like that?" Rachel asked the giant bird.

He nodded and bowed again. He leaned forward and rubbed his beak against her side. It was meant to be a thanking gesture, but Quinn and Emma weren't sure at first. Rachel reached out and petted him in response.

"I am Thuuunnnnndddddeeeerrrr!" he screamed and all the Rocs squawked in response.

He nodded again and then returned to Thoran's side. Thoran again turned to the gathering of the royal woman and smiled, or they assumed he was. The Rocs seemed pleased with their welcome and their reception. Regina bowed again to them.

"Please be comfortable. I hope to have word from my daughter soon, my liege. If you need anything, let us know. We will do our best to get it for you."

Thoran's head bobbed. He then laid his head down. Regina looked around the courtyard. There seemed to be twenty to thirty Rocs resting there. She wondered if there were more, but she didn't want to ask him now. She knew that they were tired from their journey. She also knew that they needed to hear from Danni. Without word from Danni, they wouldn't know what to do in order to stop the Silver Army.

* * *

Inside Dedrick's tent, he paced. Nothing was going to plan. Midas hadn't surrendered. The men were getting restless. He felt like he was losing ground. He needed to talk to his sorceress. He needed to know what was wrong. Why was he suddenly losing? The people there had to be afraid of magic. So why weren't they supporting him on his quest to rid them of it. What was he missing? He huffed and called for his page.

"My lord?" the page questioned as he entered the tent.

"Still no word from Midas?"

"No, sire," he replied.

"Send another a missive. I want an answer by tonight. I don't want to be kept waiting or I might have to do something drastic to make him understand how serious I am," Dedrick told him.

The page quickly saluted and ran out of the tent. Dedrick was pacing again. He just didn't understand it. Why wouldn't Midas support him? He understood the dangers of magic. He was struck with the Golden Touch. Sure, it sounded wonderful, but it wasn't. Midas was constantly on guard because of his magical ailment. Dedrick assumed that he would just give him what he wanted, but Midas hadn't. He'd stalled Dedrick at every turn. What was he up to? Was Midas plotting against him with the Evil Queen? Dedrick needed to know.

The page came back into the tent. He waited for Dedrick to notice him. He could see the ire and worry on Dedrick's face.

"Has word been sent?"

"Yes, m'lord, it has," the page answered.

"Good," he replied and stopped pacing for just a minute before he began again.

The page waited for more orders. He stood fast as Dedrick continued to pace. When Dedrick spun around and saw the page standing there, he grabbed his goblet of wine. He drank it completely. He sat it back down and neared the page.

"Bring the sorceress," he said quietly.

The page nodded quickly and left the tent again. Dedrick felt uneasy about his quest. He needed bolstering. He needed to know that his men were loyal. He would give another speech later. He needed to make sure that the men weren't wavering on him. He couldn't have dissension amongst the ranks. He needed them to be ready to go and he needed to know that they were going to follow orders when the time came for the attack.

The page returned with a woman in tow. She was wearing armor and looked just like one of the troops. Her red hair made her standout, but the men never commented on it. She knew that they were scared of her, but she wouldn't harm them. She was more interested in what Dedrick could do for her. She was actually surprised that he hadn't realized that she was playing him. She had no intention of letting him eradicate magic from this world.

"Dedrick, you asked to see me," she stated as she stepped forward.

"I did," he answered and then waved the page away.

They both watched as the page left. He seemed to be loyal enough, but the sorceress wondered how long he would remain that way. After he was gone and the flaps of the tent were closed to prying ears, Dedrick motioned for her to take a seat on a hand carved chair near his planning table. He started pacing again beside it.

"Midas has not surrendered," he stated.

"Did you believe that he would?"

"He should. He's surrounded and out numbered. He has no way that an ally can help. I've cut him off," Dedrick stated.

"So you believe. He still has ways of communication that you cannot disrupt. You've stopped the ravens, but magic doesn't need them."

"Why won't he just surrender?"

"He is a king. He isn't just going to hand his kingdom over to you. And you have nothing to offer him. He isn't going to let his daughter marry you. She is already married. He has no reason to support you," she told him.

"But you do," he stated.

She nodded, but didn't elaborate. She waited to see if her words would galvanize him into action. She wasn't sure what he would want from her now.

"I'm thinking that I am going to give another speech. The men need to be reassured that we will be victorious. I want you by my side."

"Sure," she replied.

She sat there and waited. She knew that he wanted something else, but he looked like he was afraid to ask for it. He hated magic and those that used it, but he kept her close. If he knew who she really was, he'd probably try to kill her. So, she was making sure that he never found out her real name and heritage. She was from a magical family in the Enchanted Forest. She had more power than he knew about and more power than she was willing to admit to having.

"Good. I need to show them that we are still strong, that we are still forming up, and that we are still going to wage our war. We need to show a united front. I want them to understand that we are doing this for them. Magic has no place in this world or any world. It is too dangerous," he ranted.

She arched an eyebrow at him, but held her tongue. She needed to get close to Regina and Emma, but she didn't need him. She could find another way. She may not be from the world, but she wasn't going to let him know that. She also wasn't going to let him win. She knew that the dissension in the camp was growing stronger. She would use that to her benefit, but first she needed to find a way to deal with Dedrick. He was going to be a problem. She didn't want to remove him per se, but she needed him to get noticed. Once she was done with him, she would move on to her own mission. Right now, all she had to do was wait for him to hang himself but get her close enough that she could move on her own. She knew that finding a way to get close to Regina was going to be the only way that she would find her way home and that was all she wanted.


	42. Chapter 42

**Chapter 42**

Danni sat down as close to the tent as should could. She was trying to be seen. She wanted to be chosen for guard duty. She wanted to get as close to Dedrick as she could and then she would make a plan on what to do further. From what she could see, she knew that Dedrick was unhappy with something big. She just wanted to know what that something big was. She tried to listen in, but she couldn't really hear what he was yelling about in his tent.

The shouting stopped. Danni tried not to look too interested when she saw a cloaked figure leave the command tent. She could tell by the movements that it was a woman. The cloak around her was green and velvet. It reminded her of something. The longer that she stared at the woman, the more she felt like she knew her from somewhere back on Earth or the "Real World," but she just couldn't place her. Her dark eyes followed the woman until there was a guard in front of her.

"YOU!" he shouted in her face.

"Yes?"

"You're on duty next. Get ready and head up to see Lord Dedrick. Move!" the guard commanded.

She dropped her eyes and nodded in recognition that she wasn't a higher rank. This seemed to appease the guard for her blatant staring earlier. She nodded as she picked up the sword beside her and started moving towards the command tent. Her ruse had worked. She wasn't sure if Dedrick would recognize her or if he would realize that she had magic as well. She would deal with that when the time came.

"Reporting for guard duty," Danni told the guards standing before the tent.

"Stand over there and wait for your partner. Don't speak. Don't look at Lord Dedrick. If he needs something, he'll address you as Guard. Understand?"

She nodded her head and took up position where she'd been told to be. She was closer to the tent than she thought she'd be. She gave a quick smirk and then dropped it before anyone else could see it. She didn't want anyone to know what she was doing. She knew that she had to keep herself on guard and her intentions on the down low, but she wasn't sure that she wouldn't react if Dedrick did something extremely threatening while she was nearby.

"Fancy meeting you here," Drea said as she took up the other guard's position.

"How'd you get picked?"

"Wrong place at the right time," Drea answered.

"Could be worse."

"How so?"

"You could be out there with all of them," Danni replied.

Drea looked out at all the men. Danni was right. They had the better assignment for the time being. She would gladly be where she was then dealing with the masses. It was easier to be near the thing you hated than to fight amongst everyone about it.

"True."

Danni kept looking around at everyone as they passed by. No one seemed to show any rank. She began to wonder if Dedrick did that on purpose. If no one among them knew who was in charge besides Dedrick and a select few that stayed away from the men, then he could command them more easily. But, that wouldn't be true. He would breed more chaos. They wouldn't know how to look to for information and guidance. They would blindly go into battle. And, then it clicked. He was keeping them off guard on purpose. While he seemed to be idiot in some things, Dedrick was very smart.

But, Danni could tell that his plans were unraveling. She wasn't sure if that was because of what Regina was doing back in the Winterlands or if it was just falling apart. Frankly, she didn't care. She was there to make sure that he failed and the less bloodshed that could happen the better.

"Do you think that he'll actually attack Midas?" Drea asked her.

"Right now, I wouldn't put anything passed him. But, I don't know. I am not him and I am not sure I fully understand what is motivating this campaign of his. I'm just here like everyone else at this point."

"What are we going to do?"

"Be good little soldiers and wait. I am sure that Regina has something up her sleeves. She'll make herself known soon enough. Until then, we wait and then we fight and we fight back," Danni replied.

She smiled as she conjured a small blue bird. She watched as it took flight. She knew that bird carried a message, but she doubted that anyone else did. She turned at looked a Drea. She hadn't been paying attention, so Danni wasn't afraid of getting caught. What Danni didn't see was the sorceress watching her from her hidden tent not too far away and smiling at Danni's actions, but wondering how she was using magic without her knowing and it actually working.

* * *

Regina and Rachel were in the courtyard. They were watching the Rocs as they trained with the soldiers. They were practicing defensive maneuvers. Rachel was in awe of their gracefulness. Regina was amused at Rachel's amazement. She always did like it when people that didn't grow up seeing magical things saw them for the first time. There was an innocence to it that she couldn't explain and that was why she liked it so much. She smiled when Rachel turned to her with a giant grin on her face.

"I am supposed to name them all?" Rachel asked her.

"Over time, I am sure, Rachel. Don't worry about it too much right now. But, yes, as the reigning Queen of Vulcannon, it is up to you to name them all."

"That is going to be a daunting task," Rachel replied.

"Just remember that you naming them is considered an honor."

Rachel shook her head in affirmation as she watched them above her. They were doing complex swoops and dives. She saw it as a dance, perfectly choreographed and deadly. She could admire the complexity of it while seeing the offensiveness and defense tactics that the Rocs would use in an airborne battle.

"Regina?"

"Yes, Rachel?"

"Are the Rocs going to fight for us?"

"I don't know...yet. It depends on what we find out. I believe that Danni is trying to find a way to do this peacefully. She doesn't want a war and neither do I. I don't want them to fight, but they might. It depends on Danni's mission. I am hoping that it doesn't come to that. I am hoping that whatever Dedrick has planned doesn't come to fruition. But, I am sure that we will be ready. The Rocs are our allies. And, we have more that are ready to fight with us. They are all waiting for word from me. I hope that Danni contacts us soon," Regina stated.

Rachel understood what she was saying. They didn't want to fight, but they would if it came to that. Rachel didn't want to fight either. She wasn't a fighter. She was a singer. She was trying to understand this world, but she couldn't fully. This was a world of stories and fantasy to her, but then again it wasn't. Their were fantastic beasts and magical beings that had been nothing but talk and stories. She'd now met them. She also was staying in the castle of the former Evil Queen.

"So do I," Rachel said as she moved around the courtyard just watching the Rocs.

Emma came back into the courtyard with the knights. Rachel and Regina could see that they weren't normal troops, but more of Emma's elites. They were the best of the best in the Winterlands. They were changed in multiple disciplines and weapons. They could fight a foot, riding a horse, and they were learning to fight in the air. Emma was proud of the soldiers. They were learning quickly and were adept at adapting to the changing landscape of the Enchanted Forest. She rode her horse over to where Regina was standing and she watched the Rocs continued their practice.

In the midst of all the flying, a small bird made its way through them all. Regina and Rachel saw it. Rachel moved back towards Regina and saw Emma doing the same. Regina watched the bird's flight as it looked around the humans in the courtyard and then zeroed in on her. She cocked an eyebrow as it flew down towards her. She extended her arm and let it land, waiting for the bird to give her its message. It hopped around and then sat perfectly in the palm of her hand.

Regina looked at it quizzically. It hadn't moved since it sat down in the palm of her hand. Emma and Rachel were looking at it as well.

"Is it from Mom?" Emma asked.

"No, if it was, it would be blue. This one is black and is magical. I don't know what to do to make it give me the message it is carrying. I am not sure who it is from, but I'm hoping it is from Danni," Regina answered.

Rachel smiled. She knew what it was without knowing. She started singing a tune and the bird faded into some rolled parchments in Regina's hand.

"How did you know?" Regina questioned.

"Danni used to leave me files to read on the computer with voice passwords. She would make me sing to get them open. And, I was the only one that could do it. I took a chance that she did the same thing with this. She knew that I would be close to you here at the castle," Rachel explained.

"And, she knows you love to sing as well," Emma added with a smirk.

Regina unrolled the scrolls and began to read them out loud:

 _Hello Moms and Rachel._

 _I know that you have to be together in order to read this. I used a magical lock on purpose. I hope that this finds you well. I have gotten inside Dedrick's camp. Don't worry too much. Nicola and Will have eyes on me and I know because I can feel them. I can't see much past the camp, but we are inside of Midas' kingdom, near his capital. He is no longer cooperating with Dedrick. This has lead to much anger and a very loud temper tamptrom. He has someone with a lot of magical power working for him, but they are cloaked. I haven't found them, but I am trying. I'm trying to limit my magic usage because I don't want his sorceress to figure out that I have magic. I've honestly on cast one spell and that was to find out who amongst his ranks actually believed in his ideology against magic. There are few. Most of those that are here were taken against their wills and cannot leave. Once you are in camp, you are magically bound to it. There is no escape from him but death. He seems to be hell bent on destroying magic no matter the cost, including his life. I am not sure what delusion is driving him, but I'm trying to find out. I've managed to get myself assigned to a platoon of sorts and on guard duty near him, protecting his personal tent. I'll send more word when I can. For now, gather the troops and rally our allies. Hopefully I can broker a peace._

 _Love to you all, Danielle Coraline French_

"Well, that was to the point, in a round about way," Emma replied.

"That's Danni for you," Rachel added. "So, what do we do now? Continue training with the Rocs?"

"Yes, that is exactly what we do. She is telling us that she needs more time. I'll speak with our allies in the Room of Mirrors. I'll see what we can do. Maybe we could pressure him from the outside. But, it is good to hear that Midas has broken ties with him," Regina stated.

"It is. Go. We'll watch them. I am sure that Rachel is enjoying the show while thinking of names for them all," Emma said.

"Oh, don't remind me," Rachel whined as she playfully shoved at Emma.

"Be good the both of you. I'll send Quinn and Santana out. I'm sure they'll want to spar this afternoon," Regina told them.

"What about Brittany?"

"I want her with me in the Hall of Mirrors. She can read people. I'll be smart about it. I'll keep her to the side and out of the line of sight of anyone but me. I'll also make it so I'm the only one that hears her talking to me," Regina explained, reassuring them both.

Rachel and Emma both nodded as Regina turned and walked back into the castle proper. They knew that rough times were coming. And, they all hoped that Danni would be able to stop this war before it actually started completely.

* * *

Belle sat by Ruby's bed. Brittany was in the room with her, but far enough away to give her some much needed privacy. In her hands was a book on the histories of the royal houses of the Enchanted Forest. She was learning a lot. It also taught her how much respect that she should have for her friend. She was the descendant of many royal houses, from both sides. She smiled at the thought because she knew that no matter how much she tried to be normal, Danni never was. She wasn't born to be. She looked at Belle then.

Belle wasn't meant to lead a normal life either. The daughter of a nobleman, she gave up that right when she decided to sacrifice herself for her people. Her sacrifice was to go live and work for Rumple. It wasn't a hard life, but she learned a lot about magic and the Enchanted Forest from the books that he kept. Books that were now in Regina's library at Belle's insistence. She knew that it was something about some of them falling into the wrong hands and how bad that would be. She hadn't found that section yet and she doubted that she would. She wasn't worried about it, though. She knew that Belle and Regina had it under control. As long they did, she wouldn't think about it too much.

She watched the blonde as she sat with Ruby. They were a pair, similar to herself and Santana. Light and Dark. She giggled a little when she thought about it. Belle and Ruby. Emma and Regina. Quinn and Rachel. She and Santana. Danni and Will, in their own way. They were all a representation of light and dark, peace and violence. They were the yin to each other's yang. They were balanced and they worked because of it.

"She'll wake soon," Brittany said breaking their silence.

"You think so?" Belle asked her.

"She will. The pups are ready to be born and she is ready to fight. She can't fight still pregnant and she knows it."

"She's been out of it for a long time. Will she be ready? What about the pups?"

"They are ready. They can't wait for you to hold them. But, she knows that she has to wait for them to come. She isn't trying to rush things. But, she wants to be Danni's side if it comes to fighting."

"She wants to make up for not being there for Regina and Danni when she was younger," Belle replied.

"There is that, but she swore to protect her. Dark One or not, Danni has many protectors in this castle and they are all ready to lay down their lives for her. They know that she won't ask for that and that she can handle herself, but that doesn't stop them from wanting to help her. She is her mothers' daughter and she has earned the respect that is bestowed on her, whether she believes that or not," Brittany stated.

"Oh, don't I know that."

"Are you ready for the pups?"

"I am. I am ready to have my family together and whole again. As much as Danielle tries to hide the fact that she is Ruby's daughter because the Wolves don't accept her for not phasing yet, she needs Ruby as much as I do. We are lost without her with us. I know that she is here with us physically, Brittany, but still isn't with me. I can touch her, but I can't touch her. I can talk to her, but she doesn't talk with me. She is here, but she isn't," Belle explained.

"I've tried to help with that, though."

"You have, Brittany and I am grateful for that, but it honestly isn't the same."

"Do you want me to leave you alone with her?"

"Not yet, if you don't mind," Belle told her.

"I don't," Brittany answered as she leaned back in her chair and waited for something else to happen.

Belle nodded. They sat there in the quiet and just enjoyed it. There was nothing else that needed to be done. They were just enjoying each other's company. Brittany was learning more and more about the quiet librarian and the wolf.

Regina came in moments later. Brittany could feel her coming, but didn't see the need to interrupt Belle's vigil. She knew that Regina was coming for her and that it was for something with bearing on the possible war with Dedrick. Brittany had been trying to get through the fog of magic to get a read on him to no avail. Regina hadn't been upset. She was frustrated. She wanted Danni back and this to be over with.

"Sorry to bother you both, but I need Brittany for awhile. Do you mind, Belle? It's important," Regina said breaking their thoughts.

"No, it's fine," Belle answered.

Brittany quickly looked at her. She could feel the worry coming from the other woman, but she couldn't see it. She knew that Belle was keeping a brave face when it came to Ruby. And, she realized that she couldn't blame Belle for journeying to New York to find Danni. She was trying to save her wife. It just turned out that she might be saving the entire realm and many kingdoms. Belle might be helping to rewrite the story of the Dark One. But, first she wanted to have Ruby back in her arms.

"I'll be back as soon as I can, Belle. You'll see. Things will be find soon. I promise," Brittany told her.

"You can't promise that, Britt. No one really can. But, thank you for trying. Now, go. I am sure that whatever Regina needs you for is important."

Brittany nodded and followed Regina out of the room and down the hall. Belle sighed when they were gone. Looking longingly over at her mate, she began to wonder if Ruby really would wake. She understood part of the reasoning for Ruby's coma, but then again, she didn't. The Wolf was pregnant with her pups, not dying. Belle was human. She'd carried Ruby child with little issue. Sure, Danielle was born only after only two and half months. And, she is far more mature than Remy, her cousin and they were born the same year. She couldn't fathom what was different with the twin pups that Ruby was carrying.

"I love you, Ruby."

"I love you, too," Red whispered from the pallet she was laying on.

Belle's eyes went wide. It was the first words that Ruby had uttered in almost two months. It was the first words that Ruby had said when she'd gone into the coma. Belle wasn't sure if it was reflex or not. She stood up from her chair and leaned closer to Ruby. She looked down hoping to see her blue-hazel eyes open and greeting her. She wasn't disappointed.

"Ruby?"

"Hey there, my mate," Red answered.

Belle felt her eyes beginning to water. She couldn't be happier at the moment. Red had woken up and she was talking to her.

"You're awake."

"I am."

"You're awake!"

"I know."

"Why now?"

"It's time," Red told her.

"Time for what?"

"The pups. It's time. I'm going to be going into labor soon."

Belle started for the door. She needed to get Regina. She was going to need help delivering the pups. Her hand was still on the door handle when she heard Ruby address her again.

"Stay with me, Belle. Regina will be back in time. I'm sure that Brittany will let her know, but she has some things that she needs to take care of right now. Just talk to me for now."

"I can do that," Belle replied as she moved back across the room and sat down back in the chair that she'd been keeping vigil in for the last few weeks.

"How is Regina?"

"She is frustrated and happy."

"Emma?"

"Glad that Danni is back, but she is worried about what it means for Remy. She doesn't quite understand that they aren't the same. Danni changed the timeline so her past never happened here. Remy is the child that took her place. I guess it is another reason that Remy looks more like Emma than she does Regina. It doesn't change the fact that Emma still loves Danni."

"Regina named her an heir?" Ruby asked.

"In a manner of fashion, yes, she did. But, it was only after much debate between Emma, Regina, Danni and Will. She doesn't want the position. She never did and she recognizes that Henry is still her older brother and he is the heir to the throne. She doesn't want it. And, even though she is the Dark One and could take it, she's never made a play for it and she won't."

"She's going to go back to Storybrooke, isn't she?"

"Yes, she wants to. She can't keep the magic bound anymore. It hurt her too much."

"You gave her Gold's kingdom?"

"I thought about it, but we talked. She thought that Danielle would be a better candidate for it. She is my daughter and not recognized as your pup by the pack. She is still a princess, so it made sense to name her my heir for that throne even though it is the throne of the Dark One," Belle explained.

"You've been busy," Ruby teased.

"We all have."

"And, what about Danni's friends? Have they been accepted?"

"They have. You've spoken with Brittany. She's the Empath. And, you've spoken with Santana. She's the Wolf and a Brannonulf by lineage. She's already sworn allegiance to you. So no worries about her. It seems where she is dark, Brittany is light. They are a perfect couple."

"But there is more to it than that," Red replied.

"There is. Rachel is Vulcannonian and the grand-niece of Wilhelmina. That was some drama. Her partner, Quinn is a descendant of the High Elves. And, she is every bit an elf without the pointy ears. She is also best friends with Santana. Those two are trouble together, but Rachel and Brittany balance them out. They all cared for Danni."

"You know why she changed her name, don't you?" Ruby asked her as she started to sit up a little.

"No, I don't."

"She was running from being the Dark One. A new name. A new world. New friends. She tried to forget everything about this place and she bound her magic."

"She cut her heart out," Belle told her.

"Didn't work, did it?"

"No, it didn't."

"And, it won't. Danni was meant to reform the Dark One. She was meant to come back to us. And, she will continue to do it. But, as time passes, she will no longer be protecting us, but the kingdom as a whole. It is good that she fallen in love with a Vulcannonian and Will at that."

"Why?"

"Because they can be old together and still protect the realm. I wouldn't doubt that in a few years the Curse of the Dark One just becomes a myth and the legend of Danni is born. She would do better among the people as a Vulcannonian than being labeled as the Dark One. She knows that."

"Vulcannonians have magic, too," Belle stated.

"I know. So, does most of the magical world. She'll be safer that way. Besides, she has no dagger to control her. She is free of that part of the Curse. She was meant to break it, Belle. She was meant for a lot of things. But, in the same vein as her ancestors, she is a Charming."

"Meaning?"

"She'll always be a hero and a savior to the realms," Red told her.


	43. Chapter 43

**Chapter 43**

Danni sat back outside a tent that she'd started occupying since she came into the camp. She was tired and felt restless. She wanted to do something. She needed to do something. She felt like she was wasting her time just sitting around. She could only hope that her mother got her messenger bird. There was no word back and she really didn't expect there to be. She huffed as she pulled her sword and started to clean it. It was something to take her mind off the situation at hand.

She felt her magic building. She didn't know if it was a good thing or bad thing. She'd learned to let it be while she was in the Forest. She knew that it might get her caught, but she didn't want to suffer through another session of mana burn like she had after they first arrived back. She knew that she would have to do something small soon or she would feel like she was going to explode.

She huffed again and watched as she methodically raised and lowered the rag in her hand. Drea and Trane joined her. They started cleaning their weapons as they watched the sun go down behind the trees on the horizon.

"Do you think that he'll actually attack?" Trane asked.

"Yes," Drea answered.

"I don't want to die for him," Trane replied.

"No one does, Trane," Danni added.

"Do you have any ideas on how we can get out of here?" Drea asked.

"Nope, but I'm still looking. There has to be a way. I'm just waiting for it to present itself."

"You act like it is just magically going to appear," Trane stated.

"Who knows anymore," Drea stated.

Danni looked up and saw a hooded figure moving behind the tents. From what she could tell, it was a woman, but she hadn't remembered seeing her around the camp. Immediately, she thought that the woman was Dedrick's sorceress. She followed the path of the woman while she continued to talk with Trane and Drea. She didn't let them know that she wasn't really pay them any attention. She was too focused on the woman.

"Well, I'm going to bed. If Dedrick orders an attack, I at least want to be awake for it. Good night," Trane told them as he stood up and went to his tent.

Drea stood as well, "It is getting late. I'm going to turn in, too. See you in the morning."

"Night."

"Coming to bed?" Drea asked her when she didn't turn towards the tent.

"Not yet. I'm a little hyped. I'm going to walk around and try to burn off some energy. I'll be to bed soon," Danni told her.

"Don't do anything stupid. And, whatever you do, don't get caught. I'll see you in the morning. Hopefully nothing happens between now and then. And, if we end up with guard duty again, don't wake me until it's time to go," Drea stated.

"Okay," Danni replied with a lopsided grin.

She watched as Drea went into the tent. She waited a few minutes and then started to make her way over to the last place that she saw the hooded figure. She kept her eyes peeled and her body on edge. She was ready for anything. She hooked her hands around the handle of a dagger and the hilt of the sword on her side. She doubted that she would draw either, but use her magic instead. She cracked her neck and felt the buzz of her magic beneath her skin. She found a way to tap into it while in Dedrick's camp. She wasn't using it. She didn't want a target on her back. She was just keeping it at the ready. She liked to be prepared.

She saw a small worn path just inside the trees. She saw a few footprints and decided to follow them. She realized that they were pulling her away from the camp. She turned around. She could see the campfires in the background. She knew that the camp was going to bed and here she was following boot prints in the forest.

"Who are you?" a voice called out to her.

She cocked her head and listened. She couldn't see anyone. She turned and looked. Still nothing.

"Are you going to answer me?" the voice asked again.

"It doesn't matter what my name is," Danni answered.

"Sure it does. You should know that names have meaning and power. What is yours, soldier?"

"My name is Danielle," Danni replied.

The hooded figure came out from behind a tree. Danni could see her pale face, but nothing more than the cloak she was wearing. The woman reached out and then up. She pushed the hood of the cloak back and just stared at Danni.

"That is not your name," she stated.

"Um...pretty sure it is."

"That is the name you go by, but that is not the name you were given. Your name carries more weight and power. Why do you hide from it?"

"I do not hide from my name."

"But, you do. Your name carries a lot of power and position. Do you not wish for people to know who you are? Do you not believe that you are capable of leading them?" she asked.

"I know that I can, but that is besides the point. I am nothing more than what you see, woman. What is your name? Will you tell me that?" Danni asked her.

"My name is Morgana."

"As in Le Fey?" Danni questioned.

"You know me?"

"I know who you are, but I don't know you."

"How do you know me, Danielle?" she inquired.

"Your reputation proceeds you."

"As does yours," Morgana stated. "Will you not just tell me your name? I mean you no harm."

"That's rich coming from you. Did you tell your brother the same thing? What about your son?"

"You don't know my story, child," Morgana hissed as she took another step forwaed.

"How did you end up with Dedrick?"

"Grief and loneliness will make you do terrible things," Morgana replied.

"I know."

They stared at each other. There were so many questions that they wanted to ask each other, but they weren't sure where to start. It wasn't everyday that Camelot and the Enchanted Forest mixed, but here they were.

"I am not a child, by the way. I'm older than you think. I've been around for a very long time."

"In this incarnation, yes, you have," Morgana replied. "It is a shame that your soul is so young. Or, maybe it isn't. But, your anger and fear are very controlled. I must say that is refreshing for someone in your position. How have you managed it?"

"Lots of therapy," Danni quipped.

"I'm sorry?"

"Therapy and meditation."

"Do the people not fear you?"

"They have no reason to. I haven't hurt them like you. I serve the people and my queens. Who do you serve, Morgana? Dedrick, a fool, a man who thinks that magic must be destroyed and eradicated from this realm. And, how does he plan on doing that? He brings a murderous sorceress from another realm. Because that just screams sanity, doesn't it?" Danni questioned.

"I didn't say that he was sane, nor did I say that I serve him," Morgana replied.

"But, you are."

"I am simply trying to find my way back home. I don't belong here. I know that. I also didn't belong in the world in which I was living. There I was just a story, but it was unjustly told. They didn't know the truth behind my actions, nor did they care to find out. I was branded a traitor and a heathen. I barely escaped with my life. I am sure you can understand that, **Dark One.** "

Danni cocked an eyebrow at her. She laughed. She couldn't believe that Morgana knew who she was. She gave her a cynical smile.

"So, you know about my power. Who cares? Everyone knows my face and knows who I am, but yet, no one turned me into Dedrick or yourself. Now, why do you think that is?" Danni asked her.

"Because they think that you are going to help them. They also know that the Dark One doesn't get involved unless they had something to gain. So, I am wondering what you have to gain by being here. What is it that drew the Dark One to this camp? And, don't say magic because we both know that isn't it," she told her.

"I have nothing to gain from being here. What I would be saving is a far greater reward. I am here to find out why Dedrick feels that he has to destroy magic. I could leave whenever I want, but I haven't. I wanted to know who was helping him and why. Now, I know the who, but I still don't know the why. So, why would you, of all people and capabilities be helping someone like Dedrick try to basically wipe out a realm? Will you tell me that?" Danni inquired.

"I followed him from Camelot. He asked for my help and so far, I've helped him to a point. What he doesn't know is that I'm also hindering him. I don't want to eradicate magic from any world or realm. I brought him here in hopes that the Evil Queen that I've heard so much about would stand up to him. I need her help to get back to Camelot. He was just a means to an end," Morgan told her.

"I would think that you could have come up with a better way to ask for Regina's help," Danni countered.

"I would have, had he not drugged me and removed me from Camelot. I was trying to find my way to Avalon. My place is no longer in my brother's court. It hasn't been for some time. And, Mordred is very short sighted. I love my son, but he is very misguided. I did not raise him, but I can stop him. As his mother, I think that is my problem to deal with. No one else should suffer for the mistakes that I made, including him. Had I not been drugged and in the state I was, Dedrick would have never gotten me. As it is, I've been fighting him slowly. Earning his trust while being subversive as well."

"Why is he here?"

"He wants to destroy magic everywhere because he sees it as a threat."

"Why?" Danni questioned.

"Because his wife died in childbirth. He lost his wife and child and he blames magic. He isn't so far gone that he believe that if he destroys all magic that it will bring them back. He knows that it won't, but he is so far gone is grief that he doesn't see what destruction he is causing. There are too many that fear the power that magic has in every realm. It doesn't take him long to find followers. Once he does, he builds his camp and starts his campaign. But, with each day, his control over me wanes. And, each day, I get stronger. I work on releasing the border. I've sent word to Midas to hold out. I don't want war. I want Dedrick to stop."

"Maybe I can help you with that," Danni told her as she stepped closer to her. "But, there would have to be some sort of trust between us, which right now we don't have. I don't know what you would do. For all I know once we're done talking, you're going to report to Dedrick."

"I won't."

"Why?"

"Because I didn't when you sent the dove."

"Why not?" Danni asked cocking her head as she looked deeply into Morgana's eyes.

"Because I'm tired of his games and manipulations. I am tired of the wars and campaigns. I just wanted to go home and be with my sisters."

"Sisters?"

"The Sisters of the Goddess back on the island of Avalon."

"Will you help me?"

"What do you need?"

"Do you know what his wife looked like?"

"I do."

"Good. Give a sketch or picture or something. I'll deal with Dedrick. I just need to get close enough to him."

"I'll deal with his page then. Once he's out of the way, you'll have the access you want. Just be quick about it, he's planning a full on war."

"I know."

"When?"

"I'll get back to you."

"How?"

"Come find me with the soldiers around the midday meal. I should have an answer then. Until then, Morgana," Danni said.

"Until then, Dark One," Morgana replied as she lifted her hood and headed back into the forest.

Danni stood there. She didn't know if she could trust Morgana, but it was a start. She conjured two doves and sent them into the air. One towards her mothers and the castle, but she sent the other one to Nicola and Wilhelmina. She wanted everyone ready, just in case she couldn't stop him. She would kill him, but she was afraid that one of his generals would attack anyway. She needed to make sure that she planned for everything. There were too many innocent people in the middle.

* * *

Ruby thrashed a little on her bed. Belle looked up at her anxiously. She knew that Red told her to wait for Regina to finish to get her, but things were progressing faster that she thought they should be. She was afraid for Ruby.

"Get her now," Red said through clenched teeth as another contraction ripped through her body.

Belle just nodded. She remembered the strength of labor pains. She opened the door to the suite and grabbed the nearest page.

"Go get the Queens and find the others."

The page saluted and ran off towards Regina's study. He knocked loudly and waited. After a few minutes, Regina came to the door.

"Yes?"

"Belle is asking for you, majesty. And, Queen Emma. And, the others," the page announced.

"Make your rounds then. Lady Brittany is with me. Go," Regina told him dismissing him.

"Regina?" Brittany questioned as she saw Regina just standing in the doorway.

"Belle has sent for us," Regina answered turning to look into her clear and happy blue eyes.

"Yay. It is time for the pups. Belle must need our help. We should go," Brittany replied.

Regina just nodded. She reached for Brittany's hand, and she took it without thought. The next thing they were both in the room with Belle and Ruby.

"Hello, sister," Red hissed.

"You couldn't wait, could you? Always had to be the difficult one, didn't you, Pup? What do you need me to do?" Regina asked her as she walked around the bed and took Ruby's hand in her own.

Brittany stood at the end of the bed and waited for instructions. Belle was back at Ruby's other side holding her hand. It only took a few minutes for Emma, Rachel, Santana, and Quinn to show up. They all stood near Brittany unsure of what to do.

"This is going to get messy. Emma take Quinn and Santana. Get some water and blankets and sheets. Rachel, come up here with me. Brittany take my place. We need to keep her calm," Regina told them as everyone moved.

"Is she going to phaze?" Belle asked.

"She might. I don't know. I haven't birthed pups before," Regina said as she started moving around the bed.

"Me either," Belle stated as she continued to hold Ruby's hand.

"Just try to keep her calm."

"I'm on it," Brittany said as she held Ruby's other hand.

Regina moved around and went to the end of the bed. She moved Ruby's legs and took position between them. She looked over her sister's torso and into her blue-hazel eyes. She could see the worry, but also the love in them.

"You're gonna be find, Red. I promise. And, don't worry. I'm not getting Doc to come help you."

"Why not?"

"You want that little man down here," Regina said as she pointed to Ruby's core.

"Well, no."

"Then, you're stuck with me. We can do this. Besides, I've been reading up on birthing since we found out what was wrong with you. We'll be fine. Now, I just need you to breathe and relax as much as possible. The contractions are going to hurt and to be honest we aren't sure if you are going to deliver pups or babies."

"They're my pups, Regina," Red countered.

"I know that, Little Wolf. But, you're a were and you haven't phazed. So, because you haven't changed, I don't know if they have either. It isn't like it's a full moon."

"True."

"So, we are going to proceed like a normal birth. If things go Wolfy, we'll just have to move with it and hope for the best. If I need to, I'll magically do whatever I have to do to insure that your pups are safe. I'm also going to make sure that you are okay, too. So, I need you to trust me."

"I do, Regina. You're my sister. I trust you," Red answered.

Regina nodded and conjured a stool for her to sit upon. Just as she was getting set, Emma and Quinn came back in with arm-fulls of blankets and sheets. Santana was carry a lot of water skins and a barrel of water.

"We weren't sure how much you'd need, so..." Emma started.

"That's fine, Love. Give me a sheet and then spread the others out. I'm going to need them as I call for them, so one of you please man them."

"I got it," Emma said as she handed Regina a sheet.

"Alright," Regina started.

"Do you mind if I step in?" Quinn asked.

Regina just cocked an eyebrow at her, but moved back. Santana looked around and found a small dish to put some water in. She poured some water in the dish and then brought it to Quinn. Quinn washed her hands and then looked up at Ruby. The Wolf was watching her, but she didn't say anything.

"I've have a daughter, Ruby. I've been through this. Okay, you're doing good. You aren't that far along, but we also don't know that you aren't going to speed through this, either. So, you and I are going to work together, got it?"

"Yeah."

"Okay, good. Now that we've got that settled, let's have some babies. Regina, can you get us some ice. She gonna need it. Give it to Belle. Brit?"

"I'll keep her calm and wipe her face," Brittany told her.

"Good, San?"

"I'm right beside you, Q. Just tell me what you need and you got it," Santana told her.

Regina moved closer to Emma and the blankets. She watched as the blond Elf took control. She smiled, because she realized that her daughter's friends fit right in with them. They were just like Emma, a mix of the Earthern realms and the Enchanted Forest. They went all out and head first into everything. They worried about the consequences later. And, for once, she was grateful for their presence. They had proven themselves worthy at every turn.

"Okay, Ruby, most of this is up to you."

She nodded and hissed through gritted teeth. Quinn took another peek under the sheet covering Ruby's lower half. When she came back up, she smiled at the Wolf.

"Alright, Ruby, you're almost there. You're doing good. You are progressing quickly, so it shouldn't be too much longer."

"Shouldn't we get something ready for the babies?" Emma asked.

"Yeah, start making some of the sheets ready for bundling. They will want to nurse as soon as possible. So we need to get them clean and to Ruby as quick as we can. Emma, Santana is going to help you with that while I focus on helping Ruby get through this."

They both nodded at the blonde as she took charge. She looked up at Regina and then back at Ruby. She could see the slight family resemblance, but she could also see the love that Regina had for her sister. She didn't care that her half-sister was part Wolf. For Quinn, who family meant everything, whether is was blood or not, she wasn't going to let either of them suffer.

"Belle, Ruby is going to need someone to support her during this. Do you want to stay by her side? Or, do you want to get behind her?"

Belle looked from Ruby to Quinn and back again. They all saw Ruby's slight nod and Belle stood up. She was still holding Ruby's hand.

"I'm going to stay by her side. I think that having me in her line of sight would be best. I can help keep her Wolf at bay, if she starts to phaze."

"Fair enough. It will help to have both you and Brittany keeping her calm. I don't think that we have anything for the pain, which means that we are going to be doing this the old fashioned way. That means it going to hurt but you are going to have to work through the pain, Red," Quinn told her.

"I got it."

"Okay, Regina. I need you to help support her. Soon she's going to have sit up so she can push, when she does, I want you to get behind her and support her back. Your body is going to be what she's rest upon, so you're going to need to be rigid and sure. She's going to push back against you. Just hold her up. Support her and keep talking to her. Everyone got it?"

"Yeah," Emma and Santana told her.

"Yes," Regina, Brittany and Belle responded.

"Okay, Ruby, the rest is up to you. You ready?" Quinn asked looking up at her again. She waited until she saw Ruby give her an enthusiastic nod. She smiled at her as she put her arms against her legs. "I'm going to look to see how far you've progressed."

Quinn looked under the sheet and then back up at everyone. She gave them a sweet smile as she moved closer to Red. She folded the sheet back just enough so she could see what she was doing, but also just enough to keep some of Ruby's modesty. She looked back down and moved her hands closer to Ruby's core.

"I want you to know that this is me," Quinn said as she ran her hands over Red's legs. "I'm going to help you, but I need you to push on the next contraction, okay? They are far enough apart that we can do this. Regina, get into place. Hopefully this will be quick and you'll have your babies soon."

"Yeah..." Ruby hissed through a contraction.

"Okay, Ruby, when you're ready, I'm here to catch them," Quinn instructed her.

Ruby let out a howl as she moved more into position. Every time she howled, Quinn would check to see how far they were progressing. Regina held her up. Quinn watched as Belle and Brittany both winced with each contraction.

"AHHHHHH!" Red howled.

Quinn looked back down. She saw Ruby bear down and push. She moved her hands closer and just in time.

The first one to come through was the girl twin. Quinn smiled as she quickly cleaned her. A sterilized knife was handed to her by Emma and she took care of the cord, before handing the babe to Emma to finish cleaning up. A few minutes later, the boy followed suit. She cleaned him quickly and Santana took him as soon as Quinn cut the cord. Brittany left Red go and quickly tied off the cords. She helped them both finish cleaning the babies. When they were done, Santana showed them both how to swaddle the babes. She took the boy and went to Belle's side.

"Here's your son, ladies," Santana told them as she presented him to Red.

Tears were flowing and smiles went all around. Red immediately pulled down her top to allow him to suckle. Just as he latched, Emma handed Belle their daughter. Regina magicked the pallet into an upright position to help Ruby sit and feed her children. She moved over to Emma as Belle took her daughter.

"Do you want them both?" she asked her lover timidly.

"Might as well," Red said as she moved the boy over to allow his sister to suckle as well.

"Have you thought of any names?" Rachel asked them as Santana and Quinn finished cleaning up everything.

"Not yet. Soon. I want to see how they act," Red told them.

"Following Brannonulf custom?" Regina asked.

"Something like that, but I ..." Red started but was cut off by a page pounding on the door.

Regina answered it and looked down at the boy who held a small bird in his hands. She looked at him and then bird. She took it and watched as it turned into another parchment from Danni. She read it quickly and turned to the rest of the room.

"What is it?" Red asked as soon as she saw the look in Regina's eyes.

"Danni might have found a way to stop this all, but it depends on how much she can trust the sorceress helping Dedrick."

"Who is it?" Emma asked.

"Morgan La Fey," Regina replied and all their eyes went wide in shock because they knew the stories of Camelot and Avalon.


	44. Chapter 44

**Chapter 44**

Nicola and Will sat in the woods watching the camp. They were uneasy. They hadn't heard from Danni in a few days and it looked like Dedric was about to attack Midas. Will was sure that Regina had issued the warnings by now, but she was afraid to the Golden Kingdom. They were watching the movement inside the camp and trying to see if they could spot Danni. They saw plenty from their perch, but not what they wanted.

"Do you think that she'd found a way out?"

"I don't know, Nick. I hope so. Because the alternate, with her power, is unthinkable. Danni isn't going to let him control her. She can't. She isn't tethered to the dagger," Will answered.

"That doesn't mean that this jackass hasn't found a way," Nicola replied.

"That's true, but I doubt it. Danni is too strong. She dislikes magic to a degree. She isn't going to let herself be abused in that manner. She'd fight back, magic or no magic. Dedrick isn't as strong as he thinks he is. He can controls mortals and such, but his magical control is limited. And, I think he is beginning to notice," Will stated.

"Why?"

"He wants to take the Golden Kingdom as soon as possible. He hopes that in taking it that he'll make it an example. But, Midas and Katherine have been holding out. Katherine isn't going to let the kingdom go without a fight and Midas just has to touch somethings to get money. Gold sways a lot of minds and for the right price, Dedrick's men will turn from him."

"But, he has magical control over them," Nicola said.

"But, is it enough?" Will countered.

"I don't know."

"If Danni can get into the camp and move around like she hoped, then no, it isn't. She probably hasn't sent us word because she doesn't want to out herself as possessing magic. She is in a warlord's camp and said warlord hates magical beings. I wouldn't be flaunting my powers until I had to. She's doing the same, I'm sure. We just need to give her time. Regina has the Rocs and they are training with the troops. If they are needed, they'll fly in quickly with knights," Will told her.

"I just hope that it is enough."

"It will be. Regina doesn't leave anything to chance. Danni won't either."

Nicola just nodded. She knew that they were both worried, but she also knew that Wilhelmina was worried about Danni, yet. She trusted her completely. If Will trusted her, Nick would give her time. It wasn't that she worried about Danni being able to do the mission. She wasn't. She was worried about what Dedrick would do when he realized that the Dark One was in his camp. They didn't know what sort of power he actually had. It was true that Danni wasn't tethered to the dagger, so there wasn't a object that could control her. She was the first one in Dark One not to be tethered. It was a magical counterbalance that Danni didn't have. That is what worried Nick. If Danni went off the rails, there was nothing that anyone could do to stop her.

"Do you think that she is worried about Danni?" Nicola asked.

"Who?"

"Regina," Nicola answered.

"No, she isn't. Danni is her daughter and she trusts her. She might not like how she does things because of the darkness inside her, but she's never had reason not to trust her. And, neither do I," Will replied.

"Okay," Nicola stated defensively.

They both sat back and watched the camp. Will was hoping that they would come to a resolution soon. Nicola hoped that nothing bad happened. She didn't think that her niece would survive it if it did.

* * *

Danni sat down around the campfire. She watched everyone, never staying on person too long. She wasn't sure that Morgan wasn't going to do something to out who she was. Drea sat beside her as they eat their meager breakfast.

"You're quiet," Drea stated.

"Just thinking," Danni answered.

"About?"

"How I'm going to get out of here," Danni replied.

"You've found a way?"

"Not yet, but I'm going to try soon."

"Dedrick's getting ready to attack Midas. I heard him talking about it last night while I was on guard duty again. He's keeping the same guards near him. Guess he thinks that he's safer with us," Drea added.

Trane walked up. His armor was dirty and he looked tired. Drea and Danni both moved over to let him sit down.

"Where've you been?" Drea asked as she passed him a bowl of food.

"The woods."

"Why?" Drea questioned.

"Dedrick is looking for a new place to attack from. He had a squad patrolling last night. We just got back. He had more squads out there now. He thinks that there is some break in the magic barrier. He's got us looking for it."

"Does he even know what to look for?" Danni inquired.

"Hell, if I know. I'm tired and hungry. I just want to go to bed. I hope that I don't get called for guard duty today."

"I don't know if you will. I'll see what I can do. Seems Dedrick has taking a liking to a few of us. I just happen to be one of the lucky few," Drea told him before turning to Danni. "What are you doing right now?"

"Nothing that I know of. I think I have guard duty later, but I wanted to check and see if I can see a way out. Doubt that I'll find anything, but it doesn't hurt to look."

"Just don't get caught. I'll keep you off the roster as much as I can. Let us know if find anything," Drea stated as she stood up and started back towards Dedrick's command tent.

Danni watched her go. She was still watching the camp. Her spell was still active. The number of people who were actually loyal to Dedrick was dropping steadily as they waited to attack Midas. But, she wasn't really worried about the soldiers. She was worried about Morgana. She could undo everything with a single word and Danni would be taken prisoner.

Okay, she wasn't really afraid of Morgana. She knew that she could handle the witch, but she didn't know if she could actually trust her. Danni knew the stories of Avalon and Camelot. Hell, she'd even been there after Morded's war. It was a wasteland now. Magic still flowed freely, but the people were wary of it and with good reason. But, it was one of the few realms that had bleed over in it from the beginning. Christianity ran rampant and was the "State" religion. It was hard for the people with magical backgrounds to turn to Christainity, but they did. Because of Mordred. Being Morgana's son had only helped him somewhat. And, Excalibur was lost, broken on the field of battle between father and son. Rumor had it that Morgan took the mythical sword in order to repair it. Others stated that she threw back into the lake near Avalon. Men, realms over, had been searching for it for years. And, then a harrowing thought crossed Danni's brain.

 _Did she give it to Dedrick? Is that why she is here? Is she looking for a new champion?_

"Stop thinking so hard. They might actually hear you. Have you thought about our arrangement some more?" Morgana asked as she down at Danni's fire.

Danni whipped around to face her. Her blue eyes watched her. She just gave Danni a large smile as she warmed her hands.

"You're jumpy this morning," Morgana quipped.

"You would be, too, if you were me."

"Trust me. I've been jumpy, but not like that. I also understand your hesitance to believe me. My name proceeds me."

"It does."

"Not all the stories are true," Morgana lamented.

"So, Mordred didn't try to kill his own father for not naming him the heir of Camelot for the simple fact that he was also the son of his half-sister and the leader of the pagan cults of Avalon?"

"Well, that much is true, yes."

"Then, that is all I need to know."

"I didn't raise him, you know?"

"Mordred?" Danni questioned.

"Yes, I didn't raise him. I was told that he died shortly after birth. My aunt kidnapped him and raised him in the Northlands. She wanted him to succeed Arthur. She also cursed Arthur from ever having children more children. Mordred was the only heir that Arthur ever had. Guinevere eventually figured it out and tried to leave him with Lancelot. But, none of that matters here. I was stuck on Avalon and the land of magic. I couldn't stop it, even if I wanted to. Mordred was bent on destroying Camelot in what he thought was his father slighting him for being the next Pendragon."

"Pendragon isn't a family name?" Danni asked.

"No, it is a title given from Avalon. It was given to the kings of the realms that agreed to allow magic to practiced. Arthur did so before his marriage to Guinevere and he was punished severely for breaking his oath. No children from his marriage. His bastard son came to claim the throne in the name of Avalon as it should have been. His kingdom was divided as soon as the truth was told. The people were still practicing magic in secret. They still believed in the old ways. And, Arthur was warned that if he turned his back on the gods, that a wolf would destroy him and his symbol."

"The stag and the wolf?"

"Yes."

"I know more than you think I do. Your legends are legendary in my foster realm. The land of Dedrick, his rightful place, a land with no true magic, but yet, he's here...with you at his side. Why?" Danni inquired.

"He doesn't know who I am. He just thinks that I am a powerful sorceress and that I am jaded by magic just like he is. I mean I am jaded, but I know that magic is useful and needed in some instances. He doesn't. He thinks it is all the devil's work. There is no swaying him."

"Have you tried?" Danni questioned.

"You think I came here completely on my own? I joined with him in order to get home. Surely you understand that. This was not part of the deal. This was his madness taking over. I've done what I could to stop it, but it wasn't enough. There are fanatics everywhere, in every realm, in every kingdom. They support him now, even though their number is dwindling greatly. But, he still has enough. Is it enough for him to follow through with his mission? Probably not, but he can pull support from other beings until he gets what he wants. Then, he'll deal with them."

"Meaning he'll kill them."

"More than likely," Morgana answered.

"And, what would you do then?"

"What I've been doing all along," Morgana replied.

"Which is

"Subtly blocking his reign of terror. I knew that if he went after Midas that things wouldn't go as planned. I had to get him there first. I sent word to Midas as soon as I could. I needed it to look like Dedric would win. Midas did just as I asked."

"And, why would he do that?"

"Because I asked?" Morgana replied.

"I highly doubt that. Midas is a cautious fellow. I would be too, if I had been duped by a magic being before."

"He did what I wanted him to do. He contacted Regina. He started the end game. All of the Enchanted Forest against Dedric, I needed a catalyst to start the anger towards him. He was just moving through here like it was no one's business. I had to stir him towards someone that would seem sympathetic while asking for help elsewhere. Midas would do that. He was indebted to Regina and the Charmings."

"How did you know that?"

"I talk to the people. They don't know who I am. I've gotten to learn a lot of about the people of this realm and their rulers. Even though Regina was hated for her part in King Leopold's death, she was and still is respected. The fact that she's brokered a peace with the Charmings and the rest of the Enchanted Forest, who treat her like a High Queen, says a lot about her and what she is capable of. I need that kind of power to get home. I cannot stay here. I need to get back to Camelot and Avalon. I need to try to rebuild my brother's legacy," Morgana told her.

"Do you think that they want your help?" Danni inquired as she moved to sit back down.

"I don't know."

"Well, that's comforting," Danni replied.

"I just want to go home. And, I know that Regina is powerful enough to send me. I need a mirror to get there or some other magic portal. However, Earth doesn't have a portal back to Avalon anymore. The Christians destroyed it when they came to power, along with any other magical relic they could get their hands on. People don't realize what they've done or what they're missing. Magic has no real basis there. It is all parlor tricks and slight of hand. But, you and I both know that magic is so much more than that," Morgana stated.

"Do we really?" Danni countered.

"For someone of your status, I am surprised by your nonchalance towards it," Morgana quipped.

"You know nothing about me, Witch."

"I know enough just by watching you," Morgana countered.

"Watching me? Why the hell would you be watching me? What is it you are really after, Morgana?"

"I knew that you had magic, but then I saw you do the spell on the camp. Clever, very clever in deed. You marked those with affiliation to Dedrick so you could avoid them and weed them out. Then you sought out all those with magic. Have your told your friends, yet? That they have latent powers?" Morgana asked her.

"Who are you talking about?"

"Your companions?"

"Who are you talking about? I don't have any companions. I came here alone," Danni told her.

"I doubt that. You may have entered the camp alone, but you didn't make your way here alone. You are the Dark One. No one dares to speak your name though for fear of conjuring you in the flesh. So, I think the better question is, why are you alone?"

Danni just stared at her. She squinted as she tried to figure out the woman sitting there with her. Morgana was many things in many stories, but who was she really? What did she really want in the Enchanted Forest? Danni wasn't sure that she could trust her and that could be a problem because of Dedric. She wanted to trust her, well at least believe her to a degree, but she was Morgana or Morgan La Fey. It was a name that didn't bode well for a happy ending.

"Have I given your something to think about, Princess?"

"No, you haven't. I knew about my friends before they did. I wasn't at a point in my life where I could tell them when I met them. I was a little heartless and not very emotional. I was running from magic and I didn't want to see it, let alone tell them about it. But, things came to a head when my aunt came back for me. I couldn't stay away and I had to deal with mana burn or mana sickness. Something that my mother never had to deal with, so I was never taught to handle it. I may have magic, Morgana, but I am no fool. I know what my magic means and how I got it. I would never abuse it," Danni warned her.

"Abuse the power of the Dark One? I would think not. No one would really do that unless they had a dagger to control you. So, who controls you, Danni? Who has your dagger?" Morgana inquired.

 _Ah, there it is. You've tipped your hand, Morgana. I know what Dedric wants now. Something that he can never have._

"You want my dagger?"

"I don't want it, but I know that someone controls it. Who do you trust enough to control you, Danni? Your mother? Your Queen? A random stranger?"

"Wouldn't you like to know," Danni said as she stood up.

"You are a mystery to me. So, yes, I would like to know. Who bears the powers of the Dark One? I think that it is someone in your family."

"Why?"

"Why do I think that it is someone in your family?" Morgana asked.

"Yes," Danni answered.

"Because, they know that they would be able to bring you home with it. The magic possessed in the dagger is stronger than anyone believed. It can not only command the Dark One. It can summon him, much like the lamps for genies. The dagger is important. It is the symbol of the Dark One. It is a part of them. It is also a relic that they don't want to get into the wrong hands. So, I am assuming that someone in your family has it. If things started to go wrong, they would call you back to them. They kept it as a way to protect you from yourself," Morgana stated.

"You think you are so smart and that you've got it all figured out. You tell me that you want to go home, and I don't doubt that. But, you are the catalyst that has started this war. You brought Dedric here in hopes of meeting the Queen Regina, formerly known as the Evil Queen. But, you've gone about it in the wrong way. All you will incur now is her wrath. She will not help you take Avalon back from the powers that be, nor will she give you anything magical to help you."

"Are you sure of that?" Morgana asked as she reached out for Danni's arm.

"As I am her daughter, yes," Danni answered as she turned into a dove and flew away, through the magical barrier.

Morgana stood there, amazed at her powers. Danni could defeat her, but chose to run instead. It was an interesting turn of events for the witch, but she didn't know if she would tell Dedric or not. He was a means to an end. She was in the Enchanted Forest. She'd met the Dark One. Now, all she needed to do was find the dagger and she would control the daughter of Queen Regina. With Danni by her side, she would be able to restore Avalon to its glory and rule Camelot.

* * *

Nicola looked up at the sky. There were birds flying in every direction, but where towards the camp was dug. She didn't know if it was sign or not, but she didn't like it. She missed Vulcannon now that she was home, but she knew that it was in ruins. There was nothing really for her there but death and destruction, ruins and memories. She hadn't been the first born princess. She hadn't been the princess that her father wanted. She had been a warrior and a lover. Neither of which were so bad, but she didn't follow orders well. It was amazing that her father made her the General of the Phoenix Legions and that Princess Royal. Both were titles she didn't care for, but now, sitting in a hole, with her new Queen, her niece Wilhelmina, she meant to keep the oaths she'd given to her father. Being Vulcannon wasn't just a way of life, it just was. Vulcannonians couldn't escape their immortality in traditional means and Nicola hadn't either. Going through a portal to Earth to live with a mortal she loved had been her answer. She hoped that in a world without magic she would be able to pass on after he did. She didn't. She started looking for magical ways to end her life, but Earth was fresh out of magic and she didn't dare go home to Vulcannon.

"What's wrong?"

"Something isn't right."

"Like what?" Will asked her as she started looking up too.

"The birds," Nick replied.

Will watched them, too. They were all flying away from the camp. It was a sign but of what?

"What should we do?"

"Wait for her, Will. She'll be back. She'll tell us what to do," Nicola told her.

"And, then what?"

"We fight. We destroy. Or, we go back to the castle, have a big chalice of wine and talk about our days out here," Nicola stated as if it was the most obvious answer.

"That's what I am afraid of...a war. I am not sure that I am ready to lead Regina's men into battle. I know that Emma will be by my side and that we have the Rocs now, but it isn't right. He is leading all those men to a slaughter and he knows it. He is using them as fodder. Their armor will only protect them from the Wolves and other Weres. Regina has them on the periphery and not as part of the main combatants. The armor will do them no good. We would he sacrifice them all like that. It doesn't make sense. He doesn't have any military training. He is just spouting off at the mouth and gaining followers," Will lamented.

"That is only part of it," Danni said as she walked back into the camp.

Will and Nicola were on their feet quickly. Will gave her a quick hug and then backed up to look into her eyes. She could see the haunted look in them. There was something that she wasn't saying and Will knew that it was big. She would wait, but she hoped that Danni would just tell her quickly.

"What's the other part?" Nicola asked not waiting for Danni to just tell them.

"Morgan La Fey is his witch. And, trust me, she's is a bitch, too. She wants something that she can't have and she's using him as a means to the end."

"What does she want?" Will questioned looking into her dark eyes.

"She wants Dedric to be defeated because she is expecting Mom to send her back to Avalon, but that is only the beginning."

"Beginning?" Nick inquired.

"She's want my dagger."

"The Dark One dagger?"

"Yes."

"She wants to control you?" Will questioned.

"She does."

"But, why?"

"She wants to take Avalon and Camelot back."

"It's nothing but ruins ravaged by war. The people fled to Earth years ago and live in the Highlands of Scotland, near the Rivers of Ireland, and the Foothills of Wales. They helped to fight back against the Romans. They took up the Cross and fought in the Crusades. There is no one left to rule there. Surely she knows that," Nicola added.

"One would think so, but she knows that her powers are limited."

"Do you think that she'll hurt your mother?" Will asked as she bristled, thinking about her charges.

"Not if I have anything to say about it."

"What are we going to do?"

"We're going home. There is no negotiating with him and Morgana has him believing that he can win. We'll have to try to get the men under him out, but he still has loyal followers," Danni told them.

"Won't they know you are missing?"

"Only Morgana knows now. And, I doubt that she'll rush to tell Dedric. It would cost her her life. She's got some planning to do. Unfortunately, that means we do as well. We need to go, before she realizes where we are."

"Is it too late to 'poof' as Emma calls it?" Will asked.

"Not bloody likely," Danni answered as she embraced them both before they were surrounded by purple, blue, white, and red smoke.


	45. Chapter 45

**Chapter 45**

When the smoke cleared, they were in the courtyard. Knights had them surrounded and at sword point before they could even announce themselves. It made Danni wonder what she'd missed while she was gone. At the edge of the courtyard, she saw her cousin Danielle watching her. She worked her way over to the small group and pushed the knights away.

"Back away your fools. Don't you see who it is? Someone go and fetch the Queen. She'll want to know that her Vulcannonians and daughter have returned from their mission," Danielle shouted as men went scurrying to follow her orders.

"You've gotten bigger since the last time I saw you," Danni mused.

"It has been a few months for me, Coraline. While I am aware that it has been years for you, cousin. Welcome home, again. I am sorry that I wasn't here when you arrived. I was working on something for your mother. But, I am glad to be home," Danielle explained.

"It's good to see you, Danielle, but call me Danni. I kinda changed me name along the way. It might confuse some people, but it's what I want."

"No problem, Danni," she replied like she was testing the wait of her cousins name on her tongue for the first time.

Before they could turn around fully and head into the castle, they were met with Rachel, Regina and Emma staring at them. Regina looked like she'd been crying. Emma was smiling at the both.

"What's going on?" Danni asked as she turned to look at Danielle.

"Ma had her pups," Danielle told her.

"Aunt Red? Today? Wow!"

"Yeah, not to long ago, actually."

Their conversation was short lived. Rachel had run across the courtyard and hugged Danni. Danni saw the look of surprise on both Regina and Will's faces, but she knew that Rachel had been scared. Rachel was a very emotional person, just her mother, Regina. But unlike Regina, Rachel was afraid to show it.

"You're back," Rachel said quietly as she released Danni from the hug.

"You look different," Danni replied.

"I've been with Queen Regina since you left. She's teaching me about Vulcannonian lore and the royal family, besides everything Enchanted Forest. We were...I was worried about you. We hadn't heard from you and then we got the bird...and then..."

"Ruby had her pups?" Danni finished for her.

"Yes."

"Calm down, Rachel. We will talk later. I promise. Right now, I need to speak with my moms."

"Okay, sure," she said as she turned to Danielle. "Ready to take me on patrol again?"

"As you wish, your majesty. They are after all your Rocs. I'll call for Thoran and Thunder," Danielle told her as she walked away from them both with a nod of salute.

Danni arched her eyebrow at Rachel, but kept her mouth shut. She was happy to see that Rachel was fitting in, but she was also worried for her as well. She decided that she would wait to see how worried she had to be until after she met with Quinn, Santana, and Brittany. They would give her a better idea on Rachel's mindset and what they were going to do since Danni didn't want to stay there.

Emma and Regina watched their daughter. She had a very commanding presence which was highly accentuated since she was flocked by both Wilhelmina, Queen of Vulcannon, and Nicola, Princess Royal and Head of the Phoenix Legions of Vulcannon. Regina couldn't help but smile at them standing there, armed to the teeth for a knight with no armor. They were really a sight to see. Regina would later admit that it did her heart good to see her daughter like that.

Regina had been worried about her daughter's mental health. She knew how easily the darkness could take over and she was worried about her being in Dedrick's camp. She was worried her being around new magic and giving into the temptation. She should have known better since her daughter was half Charming, but she still had her misgivings. She still kept the dagger in her study, that same mahogany box, watching and waiting for the day that it showed Coraline's name in it.

"Mom?" Danni said when she saw the flash of pain flow through her eyes.

"I'm fine, Dear. But, your cousins were born earlier. The castle is full of excitement. They can't wait to meet the heirs of Ulf, the newest members of the Brannonulf," Regina told her.

"Have messengers been sent to Ulf to alert the royal houses?" Nicola asked.

"Not yet," Emma answered looking at them concerned.

"We should send someone soon. They'll want to know that their queen has given them heirs. It will settle down a lot of mistrust and murmuring amongst the Randall. If they see that these are truly Canae of the Brannonulf and not just merely a Loban..." Nicola started.

"They are Canae, just like Danielle," Will hissed at her aunt.

"But, Danielle hasn't turned. To the Ulf, she is merely a Loban and will remain so until she does. She won't be able to ascend the throne. She'll be like me, just another Princess," Nicola replied. "I mean nothing by it, but it is the truth and we both know it."

"It can wait. Dedrick cannot. We need to talk."

"I'll order food, water and wine brought to my study. It is the only safe and secure place in the palace. We made sure of it after you left, Danni. Go change if you would like and meet me there shortly," Regina told them as she turned on her heel and went back inside.

Danni wanted to laugh. Her mother knew how to control the situation quickly. And, she knew that Regina was more worried about Dedrick and what he would do, than she was about a possible coup or uprising among the Randall of Ulf. For now, they were agreeing to fight for the Swan kingdoms and that was all she needed to know. Regina would send a faction to Ulf as soon as possible to weed out those among the Randall that were talking of raising up against Ruby. She would stop the coup before it could really begin, but she hoped that the news of her sisters twin pups would reach the Ulf before she had to do anything.

Danni knew that Regina wasn't opposed to war. She didn't like it, but she would do what was necessary to make sure that her sister retained the throne. She would even send Danielle if need be. Danni was worried about her cousin. She was technically the rightful heir by blood, but the Ulf wouldn't recognize her until she could change. If Danielle never phased, then the male twin would assume the throne of the Ulf as the next Brannonulf. That would be a point of contention amongst the non-Ulf royals, but she was sure that Regina already had a plan in place for that if necessary. She was meticulous in her planning, so Danni had no doubts forher cousin, Danielle, being a powerhouse for the royal houses of the Enchanted Forest. For now, Danni needed to focus on Morgana and Dedrick.

Thirty minutes later she was in her mother's study. She had changed into something a little more comfortable. She didn't know how Regina would take it and she really didn't care. If she was going to be there, she would act like it was in an official capacity. She knew that some of the staff still didn't know how to treat her. How could they? They knew the truth. She was really Regina and Emma's daughter, but as long as Remy was there, Danni didn't want the title. Instead she kept up the moniker of Ser Coraline Danielle "Danni" French. It was just easier. Remy knew that they were sisters and she loved Danni, but Danni didn't want power. She hadn't been groomed to run the kingdom. She hadn't gone through the same lessons or even have the same upbringing that Remy had. She couldn't fault her for that. Danni had given her the life that she'd never gotten and she loved this child. Remy might have shared her birth name with her, but they couldn't have been more different. So, she would dawn the knight's tunic and let Regina silent stew if she wished. She would not take power from her siblings.

When she saw both Nicola and Will in the knights' tunics of Vulcannon, she didn't worry about it so much. Her's was a little different from that of the knights of the Swan Kingdom. Her's carried the true royal familial crest and not that of the kingdom. It made her stand out, but then again...she always had.

She glanced around the room. She noted the photos of Remy and Henry as they'd grown in Storybrooke. She smiled at their happy faces. She held up her right hand to touch one of them as she felt a goblet of wine end up in her left.

"I hope one day I can add your picture to theirs. We might not have been there for you as a child, Danni, but..." Regina started.

She turned and looked down at her mother. Their eyes were so much the same, but they were so different. The similarities were one of the reasons that people feared her. They knew about her mother's trouble past, but they didn't understand hers. No one really did because they hadn't lived and now, they never would. Belle's stories...The Legends of Coraline French...tried to explain things. But even using the diaries and what she'd told Belle, the people still didn't understand the pain, the loneliness, and the anguish that came with being who she was. And, she hoped to all that was holy and every deity that she knew, met, or heard about kept it that way for them. They didn't need to suffer like she did to understand why she was who she was.

"Maybe...we'll see," Danni answered noncommittally.

Regina just nodded. She'd come to grips with her daughter's aloofness. She knew better than to push her. Danni was too much like Emma emotionally even though she could honestly be Regina's clone or "Mini-Me." Ever since Danni gave her back her memories of what really happened in Storybrooke, Regina had been using kid gloves with her daughter. She loved her, but she didn't want to push her away. She knew that if she didn't, Danni would run away again. It was what she did last time because she thought that Regina was disgusted with her after she'd killed George.

"Can we talk later? Just us, no one else. Please?" Regina asked.

"Sure," Danni said quietly.

She had an idea what her mother wanted and she knew that she owed her that much. She still wasn't ready to stay in the Enchanted Forest and she knew that Regina wouldn't ask it of her now. There was a time she might have, but they had come to an understanding. Plus, there was the business with the tattoo...

"So what do you know?" Regina questioned loudly enough for everyone to hear in the room.

"Morgan Le Fey or Morgana is the sorceress working for Dedrick. She doesn't care about this land. She only sided with him here in order to get closer to you," Danni started to tell them.

A collective gasp was heard. Will was already moving towards Regina and Nicola towards Emma. Danni couldn't help but shake her head and give them all a quiet smile.

"No, she doesn't want to hurt you. She wants to use you. She needs your collective powers to get her back to Camelot...what's left of it anyway," Danni told them.

"She just wants to go home?" Emma asked.

"Technically, yes, but she doesn't mind creating a little chaos on the way."

"How'd see end up here?" Regina inquired.

"I am not quiet sure on that, except similiarly to me. She magicked herself here somehow, but she was banished from Camelot. She's hoping that with your combined magicks, or mine, she can break through the Veil of Avalon and get home."

"Did she get kicked out for supporting her son against her brother for the kingdom?" Emma asked.

"That is the current and most popular story, but the kicker is that Mordred was also her son," Danni replied.

"Fuck..."

"Yeah, well, gotta love blue bloods there, Ma. That's not the matter. Mordred destroyed Camelot. He and Arthur killed each other. There is no one to rule. The realm has descended into darkness, devestation and chaos. I am not sure that sending her back would be a good thing. Besides there is the fact that she would be the Lady of the Lake," Danni told them.

Regina cocked an eyebrow at her, but didn't say anything. She was waiting for Danni to explain. She'd heard of Camelot and Avalon, but she'd never been there. She'd read the Earth versions of the myths, stories and legends, but just like her story, she wasn't sure how much was truth and how much was fiction. She gave Danni a look that told her to get to it and let her know what she needed to know.

"Morgana was named Lady of the Lake after her aunt's death. She would be the equivalent of Blue, I guess. She is the head of their goddess religion and the supreme leader of its cult. She selects all the priestesses. However, power wasn't something that Morgan really wanted. She wanted to help her brother rule. She knew that she would never be anything more than her mother's daughter. A princess in her own right, she wasn't Uther's daughter and there for had no claim to the throne of Camelot. Instead, she served her aunt and was part of the reason that Arthur ascended the throne. But, that is a whole other story..."

"So, why was she kicked out of Avalon or whatever?" Will asked, having known some of the history from books she'd read back on Earth.

"She sided with her son in the end. She didn't stop Arthur from changing the religion of the land. When Arthur's wife couldn't bear him a son, she blamed the goddess for punishing her for trying to appease her by inviting another man into their bed. Arthur and Gwen would never have a child. She honestly wasn't destined to be with Arthur. Her soul mate was one of Arthur's cousins and one of his knights, his best friend and his most trusted adviser," Danni answered.

"Lancelot," Emma stat

"That much of the story is true, yes. Lancelot and Gwen were meant for each other. The night that they shared with Arthur, in order to produce an heir, Gwen never feel pregnant. She remained barren but at Arthur's side until Mordred showed up."

"I'm sure that went over well," Emma added sarcastically.

"You're right it didn't. Finding out that Arthur had a child and by his sister from a liaison during a goddess festival pushed Gwen over the edge. She demanded that Arthur denounce him. He couldn't have a bastard and his sister's bastard at that assume his throne. He also couldn't acknowledge him publicly without causing major issues with Gwen and the Court. Mordred was devastated. He vowed that he would come back and he would be stronger. If his father wouldn't name him the heir to Camelot, he'd take it. Unfortunately for Arthur, the goddess cult turned from him when he denounced them because of his wife's issues. In doing so, he alienated a lot of his people and they actually began to rally behind Modred," Danni stated.

"So, Morgan took her son's side in the civil war and was punished for it?" Regina asked.

"She was the embodiment of the goddess on earth. She was to remain neutral, but she wanted the goddess to reign again. The only way to do that was to support Mordred. It was also foretold by her aunt that the Wolf would destroy the Bear. Arthur's symbol was the Bear..."

"And, Mordred is the wolf," Nicola stated.

"Yes, so the realm fell into ruin. Morgana wasn't allowed to re-enter Avalon because she was supposed to maintain the realm. With the realm broken, she couldn't part the veil to Avalon. Since she couldn't part the Veil, she was lost to the goddess and it's cult. She found her way out of Avalon and Camelot. Supposedly she's been working her way through the realms looking for someone worthy enough to take her back to Avalon and to being the Lady of the Lake," Danni told them.

"And, she thinks that I can do that?" Regina questioned.

"She really seems to think so," Danni replied.

"Then why did she side with Dedrick?" Emma asked.

"Now, that is the question of the century. I have no idea really. But, he's been travelling from realm to realm to destroy magic. I think she realized that if she stayed with him long enough she would find someone with enough power to open the veil and she could go home and start to build."

"And, she didn't ask you?" Regina inquired.

"I am sure that she wanted to but, she came here for you. The other realm know about the Dark One and their power and they are all rightfully scared of it. Besides, I didn't exactly make myself welcome everywhere I went trying to deal with it. I'm known more places than I'd like to admit," Danni told them.

"So, she's come for the source of your power. Your mothers...interesting," Regina replied.

"Why?" Emma questioned.

"She needs power to lift the Veil. She needs us to go with her and not just send her home. If she just goes back to her realm, Camelot and Avalon are still in ruins. She will have no way of proving herself to the people. She's not vying to go home. She's trying to rebuild her status and rule. She's learned that she could rule the realm but she has to find a way to part the Veil. Whoever has taken her place as Lady of the Lake has barred her from rule and from her home. She's angry and she's willing to do whatever she can in order to get her position. Someone told her about us. She told Dedrick and we became his next targets."

"Do you think that in destroy magic she's bottling it to help her?" Danni asked as soon as the thought crossed her brain.

"Yes...I do. She's gathering magic because she intends on reclaiming Avalon by force. She knows how power the magicks are there and so she needs all the help that she can get. She was once the most power sorceress in Avalon and now she is nothing to them. She might still be powerful, but her magic doesn't get the response or the rule that she wants. She can't command the masses. She's lost the right. And, if her magic comes from their goddess, she's really lost it. Whatever magicks she has now, she's gathered. She is using Dedrick to gain more and he doesn't even know it. She's using him and honestly, I don't thnk that he would care as long as it rid the realms of magic entirely. She has no desire to do that. She just wants enough to usurp the throne, take back the realm, and regain her position, and that is no easy feat. I should know," Regina answered.

"What are we going to do?" Emma asked.

"We need to draw her out. We need her away from Dedrick and the main forces. She'll need a reason to leave him. She'll need to be convinced that we are trying to help her. But, like Rumple, she has her Achilles' heel and right now, it's home and power. If we offer her both, we might be able to pull her away," Regina suggested.

"But, we'll have to capture her, incapacitate her, and make sure that Dedrick sees her. He needs to see that he's defeated. He's been using her to draw the magic away. Take her away, and his war is lost," Danni added.

"We'll need to attack him on all fronts then. Draw her out and remove her from the field. Then we come at him, magic and not. He'll not be able to defend himself. But, how do we do that?" Emma inquired.

"Simple," Nicola said.

They all turned to the older Vulcannonian. She was the head warrior for her father before Rumple's cursed sickness took have the population. She knew how to lead armies, vast armies, and get the job done. And, it wasn't that they didn't trust Emma. They did, but she would need to be ahead of the Swan Army and not coordinating everything. Nicola could do that and they would have a better chance of succeeding on the field of battle against him.

When she didn't just continue, Regina cocked an eyebrow and said, "Well?"

"You've already assembled the other kingdoms. We just need them to attack from where we ask them to. It we come at them from every angle with all our sources, he'll have to surrender or he'll die trying to fight his way out. Either way, it'll end on the field of battle," Nicola told them.

"Where it should," Danni stated.

"Who should come from where?" Emma asked.

"You'll take the Rocs, lead by Rachel, and Swan Knights for a direct heading. Wilhelmina will sneak into the Golden Kingdom and rouse them to their walls and gates. Snow and Charming will come in from the East, with their forces from the Summerlands. I'll stay near the Rocs as they go aerial. The Ulf will come in from the West with Santana and Ruby at the helm, if she's able. Quinn and Brittany will stay here and protect the castle with part of the elite guard, a small contingent of Rocs and knights. Their job will to be to protect the children. Henry will stay with them. He is the Black Prince and heir to the Swan Kingdoms. He cannot be on the field of battle. If you must, promote him to General of the Guard or something equally large, so he'll see that it is an assignment and not for his protection. Belle will call upon the Dark Kingdom and you, Danni, will lead them, but way from the front. You must appear to be alone. I believe that Morgana will make a play for you and when she does, you need to be ready to take her down, feeling or no, she has to be stopped from amassing too much power."

"So what am I supposed to do? Teleport her somewhere? Take her back to Camelot to rot?"

"If you have to and can, yes," Nicola stated.

"Now, Philip and Aurora will be coming in from the South. Ariel and Eric already launched ships. They'll be able to back up Midas from the sea and their Marines will help on land. Is there any other kingdom I should be worried about?"

"What about Zelena? Elsa and Anna? The Merry Men?" Danni asked.

"They've already been given positions with other kingdoms. They will truly be surrounded with no way out. The biggest thing that I know we don't want is loss of life. How many men does Dedrick have?"

"A thousand or more."

"So, we're looking at two to one odds, possibly."

"That is if he doesn't recruit more. He's taking towns people, not trained soldiers and dressing them up. Morgana is helping him with this. They can't leave and they have to fight or die at his hand. It's barbaric and all I could do was mark those that were actually loyal to him. I couldn't get them out. There wasn't a big enough hole to drive them away. Besides, I have a friend on the inside that could help. I just need to be able to get word to her," Danni explained.

"Who?" Nicola asked.

"Her name is Drea. I am not sure where she's from, but she has a male friend named Trane. She's more in charge of a small group like a sargeant. We spent many a shifts guarding Dedrick's tent together. She is very open about her disdain for him. She wants to leave, but she can't get out. Right now, she's probably thinking that I've been captured or worse, because I haven't reported back to her section of the camp."

"Then you will have to make contact with her on the battlefield. She needs to believe that you got out or worse. It will help motivate her and get more men on her side. It sucks, Danni, I know, but it is the only way to ensure her safety. If they believe that you acted alone, they will leave her alone. They know she's vocal, but they haven't put her down yet, which means she good. They don't know that she's swayed anyone. Give her a sign, but draw Morgana out."

"How can I be sure that they will be safe?"

"Cast your spell broader at the battle. It will mark all those that support Dedrick for us to see. When the men realize that we are only acting certain men, they will break and join us. It will be simple. But, first we have to get Morgana away. Getting her away is the key because it will make her drop the magical shield that she has surrounding the camp. With that broken, we'll take the field and the day," Nicola explained.

"You've got your orders, then. Prepare your troops. And, Danni?"

"Yes, Mom?"

"Take Danielle to Ruby. She'll lead the troops with Santana. Ruby shouldn't be on the field just yet. Danielle is old enough and smart enough to lead Wolves. Make her a light set of armor and make sure that the Royal House of Brannonulf is upon it. I don't want any of the Randall wondering who or what she is. Do the same for Santana, but make sure that it will transform with her. And, make sure that they watch out. He's army is still carrying silver weapons. We don't need another repeat of Santana's injury," Regina instructed.

"As you wish, my Queens," Danni said with a salute and was off.

"Do you think that this will work?" Emma asked her.

"It isn't that I don't think it will work. I am worried about Danni and her friends. Are they ready for this? Is Danni? Or, is Danielle? Are we, really?"


	46. Chapter 46

**Chapter 46**

Danni stood at the edge of the field and waited. She wanted to make sure that everyone was in place before she did anything. She trusted them. She didn't trust Dedrick at all or Morgana for that matter.

She looked around the edge of the forest. She could see Dedrick's forces in front of her in all the silver glory, shining in the late morning sun. She knew that Midas' had the Golden Army ready at the ramparts and the gates to flush the field when called. Santana and Danielle were in position with the Ulf and Santana had already phased. Ruby had given her the Brannonulf royal standard to wear, making her a knight for the Ulf. She might not have been born in the Enchanted Forest, but she was stepping up to protect her brethren.

Emma was to her right. She was standing ahead of the Swan Knights. Snow and Charming were at her left and Quinn was at her right, dressed as a Swan Knight. She had a very small contingency of Elves behind her, all swearing allegiance to her and the Swan Kingdoms. They were far enough in the wood line that they couldn't be seen yet.

She knew that Rachel was with the Rocs and Regina was with her. Belle was standing behind her with the remnants of the Dark Kingdoms knights and soldiers. They were more than happy to serve their defacto queen and by proxy her Queen in Regina. They'd never cared for Rumple and were glad that they would be able to join the Swan Kingdoms now.

Will had left the night before to join Midas' men. She knew that it wouldn't take long to convince Fredrick and Katherine to take their side, since they'd already pledged to do so. It was just a matter of making sure that everyone was in place at the right time.

She looked up and closed her eyes. Breathing deeply, she felt the rising tide around her. She wondered if Morgana could do the same. She wondered if Dedrick knew that he would...well might die this day. How was he going to handle the fact that he was brought here by magic and would die by it? She shook her head. Magic always came with a price. Today would be no exception.

She saw the ravens shoot across the sky. She knew that was signal that everyone was in position and ready for her word or actions to attack. They were all told to wait for her signal. She knew that everything was now up to her. She had to draw Dedrick and Morgana out. She had to cast her spell on a wider net, so that the allies would know who to turn away from and who to actually fight.

She walked out into the field. By her left side, she carried the Standard of the Swan Kingdoms. She marched and then buried the spear end of the guidon into the earth and stood proudly beside it. She drew her sword and stood at the ready. Her armor shone in the sun light. No helmet upon her head, she stood ready and waiting.

Dedrick took the bait and made his way to the front. She saw Morgana, head covered and in robes, following him. A small grouping of men followed. As they neared, Danni saw that amongst those men were Trane and Drea.

Her eyes met Drea's and she shook her head. She didn't know if it was enough, but she saw a small smile cross Drea's face. Trane and she started to slow down and work their way to the back of the grouping. When they made it to the back, Danni knew she understood what she wanted.

"WHO ARE YOU?!" Dedrick called from atop his horse, still flanked by a few men and Morgana.

"YOU'RE WITCH HASN'T TOLD YOU, DEDRICK OF EARTH? HOW UNFORTUNATE FOR YOU? SHE'S LED YOU TO YOUR DEATH AND YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW BY WHO. TELL ME. WHAT HAS SHE PROMISED YOU IN RETURN FOR YOU SHEDDING BLOOD HERE TODAY?" Danni called back to him.

She could see him bluster. He turned and looked down at Morgana, who hadn't flinched. She wondered what the witch was planning. It didn't matter. She knew that her magic was stronger. Plus, she had something that Morgana didn't...her mothers on the field of battle.

"WHO ARE YOU?"

"THEY CALL ME SER DANIELLE CORALINE FRENCH, FIRST KNIGHT OF THE SWAN KINGDOMS. I AM THE KNIGHT THAT TOOK DOWN KING GEORGE. YOU'VE COME TO THE WRONG REALM, DEDRICK. YOU WILL NOT WIN OR SURVIVE THIS UNLESS YOU STAND DOWN NOW AND LEAVE."

"AGAINST ONLY YOU? I THINK NOT. YOU ARE BUT ONE WOMAN!"

"AYE, I AM ONLY ONE WOMAN. BUT, I AM NOT ALONE. I COMMAND THE LEGIONS OF THIS REALM AND OTHERS. I HAVE MORE MEN ON THIS FIELD THAN YOU CAN DREAM ABOUT. I CALL UPON THE SWAN KINGDOMS."

Commanders for each kingdom started to break the tree lines and come into sight. Wilhelmina was standing upon the ramparts of the Golden Kingdom's walls, fist held high. A war cry broke out from the woods, but thankfully no one moved. However, the sheer amount of volume alerted Dedrick, that he had terribly misread this engagement completely.

She watched as he berated Morgana. He pointed to her and shouted, but Danni acted like it couldn't faze her at all. She heard a few wolf calls and knew that everyone was ready at her signal.

"YOU WANT A FIGHT?"

"I WANT TO DESTROY MAGIC!"

"BUT YET YOU USE MAGIC TO DO IT," she shouted back at him.

He bristled. He shifted a little bit and then stood firmer, taller in his saddle. He broke away from the small formation he'd brought out to the field with him.

Danni stood a little bit away from the flag standard, so that she was more into the view of the rest of the field. She raised her left hand with all her fingers extended and waited. To anyone else but the commanders of the forces surrounding her, it looked like she was provoking him further.

"YOUR MAGIC DESTROYED MY WIFE!"

"IT'S WASN'T MY MAGIC. AND, I KNOW ALL ABOUT YOUR WIFE, DEDRICK. SHE LEFT YOU BECAUSE YOU WERE LACKING. IT WASN'T BECAUSE OF MAGIC. IT NEVER WAS. STAND DOWN AND LEAVE THIS PLACE OR FIGHT ME ALONE. ACCEPT MY TERMS, OR YOU ALL DIE, HERE TODAY. NO MERCY."

"NEVER!"

"FINE, WE'LL DO THIS YOUR WAY THEN," she called back to him.

She closed her fist and the sound of a ferocious bird pierced the air. Large wings could be heard and then the sight of the Rocs in the air as they circled. Danielle was leading them with Rachel. She knew that they were about to cast her spell for her, dowsing the Dedrick's troops below. Their glow would let them know who was aligned with Dedrick and who was not.

"LAST CHANCE!"

"FUCK MAGIC," he replied.

"FINE."

She raised her sword and pointed towards the Silver Army. It looked like a command to attack, but none of the forces on the field moved. Instead the Rocs closed in their circle. Small barrels began to rain down from them, breaking all around the Silver Army as Danni's spell was cast and a glowing river of sparkles floated around them. It stuck to some and not to others.

She couldn't help but laugh when she realized that most of the men that followed Dedrick to midfield weren't glowing. They were looking around, almost afraid. She knew that using the Rocs in more of an aerial scare tactic would help their cause further and get more people to turn against Dedrick.

"YOU'VE PROVEN NOTHING WITH THAT," he called out to her.

"NOT TO YOU, NO, I HAVEN'T. BUT, TO OTHERS, THEY CAN SEE THE TRUTH AND THEY KNOW WHAT TO DO NOW. I DON'T WANT TO FIGHT THE PEOPLE OF THIS REALM, DEDRICK. ONLY YOU, BUT YOU ARE A COWARD AND YOU HIDE BEHIND MEN WHO DON'T FOLLOW YOU. THEY DON'T CARE FOR YOU. THEY ARE ONLY AS LOYAL TO YOU AS THE MAGIC OF YOU WITCH MAKES THEM TO BE. RELEASE THEM AND FIGHT ME."

"YOU'LL FIGHT ME ALONE?"

"YES!"

She knew that she was veering from the plan. She was supposed to draw Morgana out, but she wanted blood. She wanted Dedrick to pay. Her own mother knew that her blood lust might take over and she was doing her best not to signal the full brunt of her power or unleash the armies upon him. She could actually feel Quinn and her mother, Regina, start to move towards her.

She thrust her sword into the earth and raised both hands. Regina and Quinn stopped their forward movement. Danni waved her hand over herself and allowed the armor to fall away, showing that she was serious to Dedrick. She would fight him without armor. Too bad that he didn't know that she didn't need it. But, his men would think him a coward if he couldn't face an unarmored woman on the field of battle. She knew that she was pushing him and that was exactly what she wanted to do. She wanted to push him so far that he didn't realize that he'd fallen into her trap, that he'd taken the bait, and lost, completely. So, she stood there and waited for his answer.

* * *

Regina was livid. This was not how this was supposed to go. She knew exactly why her daughter was calling him out alone. She was after his ego and she'd win the fight, but he didn't know that. He didn't know that she was immortal. He didn't know that magic would keep her alive. He didn't know that she was the damned Dark One and no magic could control her anymore. He didn't know the trap that he was walking into, but she did.

"What is she doing?" Quinn asked her as she felt the anxiety building in Regina's demeanor.

"She's going to kill him."

"Should she do that?"

"I don't know."

"You don't know?" Quinn asked as her own anxiety started to rise.

"No. I've never seen her like this. The last time she went off to defend the realm, she did so by herself. Well, except for Wilhelmina. They tracked down George and she killed him. She brought his head and the war was over before it ever started. Her blood lust could already be taking over and if it has, may the gods help us, but no one would be able to stop her."

"Rachel will."

"You think highly of your Vulcannonian girlfriend. I saw what it did to Wilhelmina. I don't think that we'll get her back this time if she plunges into the Darkness, Quinn. There is just too much going against her here," Regina lamented.

"Give her credit. She's come back before. She can do it again. And, I don't think that she is jumping in so completely. I think she is just trying to get him off balance. If she pulls him away from Morgana, we have a better shot of getting her alone and away from him. Without her, he crumbles. She knows that."

"She'll fight him. She'll kill him. Morgana won't even matter," Regina replied.

Quinn bristled at her frankness. She wanted to go out there to Danni. She wanted to stop her from this madness now that she could see it for herself. Danni had been right; they weren't ready for this world, this fight, these things, but they wouldn't leave her.

Emma moved closer to them.

"She's going to kill him?" Emma asked.

"Possibly."

"Do something," Emma told her.

"I can't."

"Why not?"

"She's the Dark One, Emma. My magic has no effect on her and you know that. I could try, but it would do nothing but piss her off. You remember what she looked like that last time she was pissed off. I do. She went after George for cutting that boy's tongue out. What do you think that she'll do to this prick for threatening us?"

"I hope she doesn't present us his head again. I don't think that I could stomach that a second time. But, we're her mothers. There has to be something that we can do. We can't let her do this. It will destroy her soul completely. You know that. She won't come back from this...willingly," Emma stated.

"I know that, Emma and trust me when I say that my heart is breaking, but I don't have the power to stop her."

"But, you both do," Quinn told them.

Regina and Emma looked at her for a second. Maybe that was part of the plan. She had everyone around her that could bring her back from the brink this time. She had Dedrick alone. There weren't other troops surrounding him that she would have to fight through to get to him.

"That's why she called him out alone..."

"What?" Emma questioned.

"She's expecting us...the generals to rush to her aid when she finishes him," Regina started.

"She's planned this from the beginning. It was why she's been test Rachel the most. She's been pushing her so hard since that day in the armory. She wanted her to know that battle would come and she would have to step up. She needed Rachel to be prepared to see what she could do. It wasn't just to show her how ruthless this realm is, but it was so Rachel could see if she could stomach what Danni might have to do in order to protect us," Quinn replied.

"Why would she do that to just her?" Emma questioned.

"Rachel has a policy of non-violence. She doesn't eat meat or any animal products. She makes sure that all of her clothes are animal friendly. She's vegan and lives that lifestyle to the fullest."

"How do you handle that?" Emma asked.

"I eat bacon and lots of it. I understand that violence is sometimes needed and it is usually a last resort. I have no qualms getting into a fight and neither does San, as you both know. Brittany might be quiet and reserved and come off a little ditzy, but she'll hurt you if you hurt us. I've seen it and it's scary. Danni knows that we'll stand up behind her and take our lumps with her. Rachel would be on the sidelines telling us that we were wrong for doing it in the first place and berating us for fighting. Even though we would all be there to protect her from whatever the threat is," Quinn explained.

"She was toughing the little Princess up?" Regina asked.

"Yes, why do you think that she sent her to you to learn how to be royalty, Regina? She knew that this fight would come and she knew that Rachel would demand to help. She put her on the Rocs so she would be in the heat of the battle. She put her in the air to protect her but still let her participate. She knows that the sight of the Rocs would startle Dedrick's men. And, it did. Look at them," Quinn said as she pointed at the forces across the field from them.

"At least we know who is on our side now," Emma added.

"Another one of our daughter's plans," Regina stated with a proud smile on her face.

"She's not worried about Morgana because she knows that you two can handle her. She's worried about Dedrick and his hatred. He has men that still believe the filth he spouts. His death by her hands will mean more to them than Morgana's. And, if Morgana is as big of bitch as she seems, then she won't lift a finger to help him. She wants your help, so she'll say it was to prove herself loyal to you. Don't believe her. I know how her kind thinks," Quinn told them.

"So do I, dear," Regina said as she turned to face Quinn with a delectably evil smile on her face.

"So, we wait?" Emma asked to clarify.

"We wait," Regina agreed.

* * *

"HAVE YOU THOUGHT IT OVER, DEDRICK?" Danni called out to him.

Morgana smiled beside him. She had no doubts that Danni could take Dedrick in a fair fight or even an unfair one. But, she didn't know if Dedrick was stupid enough to fall for her badgering. His ego was already hurt bad enough before they got to this realm. She had no doubt that Danni would end him if she could, but she wasn't sure that her family would let her do it. Then, she began to wonder what Danni was honestly planning.

She didn't care about Dedrick or his health. She never had. He was just a means to her end to getting back to Avalon. She only cared about finding her way to Regina and getting home.

"WILL YOU FIGHT ME OR NOT, DEDRICK?" Danni continued to badger him.

He got down off his horse. A page was quick to take the reins and his helmet as he removed it from his head. Now, he was showing everyone who he really was. Morgana wondered if they could feel the fear that was flowing from him as he moved closer to her.

"Do you think that I can beat that woman?"

"No," Morgana replied quickly.

"Why is calling me out with no armor, then?" Dedrick asked her.

"Because she doesn't need armor to fight you."

"Why not?"

"Because she is more than she appears, Dedrick. You've really screwed yourself over this time. Even if you somehow managed to fight her and win, she has you surrounded by both magical and non-magical beings. You and the men that are actually loyal to you won't leave the field alive. She's got you trapped and you cannot even see it."

"Shut up, witch. You are trying to confuse me. I will have my revenge. I will kill her," he stated.

"It's your funeral," Morgana replied.

"Prepare for my battle, witch. Get the men ready. Once I stomp this pompous knight, we will take the field," Dedrick demanded.

"If we must, then we must," she replied as she started back towards the man forces.

She waved her hands over the men and all their armor changed. She was going to make this a fairer fight if it came to it, but she doubted that it would. She could see the fire in Danni's eyes. She knew that the woman would decimate him quickly.

"DEDRICK, WILL YOU FIGHT?"

"I WILL FIGHT YOU, BITCH. NO MAGIC. SWORDS ONLY."

"DEAL!" Danni called back.

* * *

Danni turned her head towards the woodline. She knew that she couldn't see any of the generals or other royals in front of their forces. She could still feel them though and she felt the love of her family flowing across the field and towards her. Closing her eyes, she let magic flow through her until it sought out the one person that she knew wouldn't question her motives for the next few commands she would give.

"Quinn..."

Quinn's head snapped up and she looked across the field harder at Danni.

"I know you can hear me, especially with your elf ears. I need your help. I know that it doesn't seem like much but you are the only one that can do this for me."

"What do you need, Danni?" she asked as Regina and Emma turned to give her quizzical looks.

"Tell Mom and Ma to stand down for now. They will know when to take the fight. I will be okay."

Quinn turned and faced Regina head on before telling her, "She's asking you to stand down."

"I won't abandon this field."

"I am not asking her to leave. Just tell her to stand down. She doesn't need to be ready to fight. I will deal with it all for her. Just tell her to prepare the royals for me."

"She wants you to prepare the royals, not abandon the field," Quinn explained.

"What does that mean?" Emma asked.

"She said that you would know, Regina," Quinn added as Regina shook her head in agreement.

"Quinn?" Danni asked.

"She's agreed. Continue. What else to you need?"

"Take Rachel back to the castle. She shouldn't see this. She isn't ready for this carnage."

"Shouldn't that be her choice?" Quinn questioned.

"Quinn..."

"I'll ask her, nothing more," Quinn replied.

"Fine," Danni said and broke their link.

Danni pulled the right sleeve off her tunic and turned to the side. She showed her tattoo to them. Regina smiled. Danni was planning to save herself the only way she could...through magic.

"What does that mean?" Quinn asked her.

"Call for Rachel and I'll tell you all," Regina said.

Quinn whistled for Rachel and Thoren. They landed a few seconds later off to their left. Rachel came running up to them, a puzzled look on her face.

"What's wrong?" Rachel asked them.

"She wants you to leave the field," Quinn stated.

"I will not."

"I told her you wouldn't," Quinn added.

"Why?" Rachel inquired.

"She doesn't want you to witness the carnage she is about to unleash on him."

"He has threatened her family, her friends, her realms, her kingdoms, and her way of life. Carnage should be the least of his worries when she is done with him. I may not believe in violence, but this man will not stop until everyone is dead...including himself. So, let her give him his wish," Rachel stated.

"Well, okay, then, but we are so talking about this later," Quinn replied.

"Fine, but what's up the tattoo?"

"That tattoo is from her timeline and one that I used to give my Elite Guards. The crest is that of the Swan Kingdoms and it is bound by blood magic. The has to obey it. Even her dark magic can't override the blood magic etched into her skin," Regina said with a smile.

"What does that mean?" Rachel asked for clarification.

"It means that she has to respond to the commands of the Queens of the Swan Kingdoms. In her timeline, that would have been Emma, Snow and myself. Here, it includes Belle, Ruby, and now you, Rachel as Queen of Vulcannon, and by default as the last of the High Elves, Quinn is a their queen. She is using it as an out to protect her soul and keep her from turning into the blood thirsty and raging Dark One. She is showing us how to help her keep things in check," Regina said.

"What else does she have with her? Is that the Swan Princess Sword that she's carrying? Regina?"

Regina looked across the field and then pulled out a small mirror. She looked into the glass and realized that the sword that Danni was carrying was indeed the magical Swan Princess Sword. She nodded at Emma and then showed her as they watched from afar. Danni reached down to her hand and pulled off a piece of leather thong. She used it to pull up her hair, so it wouldn't impead her during the fight.

"Is that my lucky shoe lace... that's Graham's bootlace," Emma murmured as she watched her daughter in the mirror.

"What can we do for her from here, Regina?" Quinn asked.

"Send her all your love. Let it wash over you and send it across the field to her. Let her bathe in its light. She needs to know that we stand with her, even when she's in the darkest of places. We will help her back into the light," Regina told them.

"Always," Rachel and Quinn said as they held hands, letting their love flow freely towards their friend.

"Pass along word to those loyal to us and the other royals, Emma. Use the mirror. Hurry."

"I love you."

"I love you, Darling," Regina replied as she turned to face her daughter again.

She let the light of her love glow inside her. She pulled it out and pushed it towards her daughter. She would be bathed in the armor of love and light. Dedrick didn't stand a chance against it. And, all Regina could do was smile. Her daughter was ever thinking and ever protecting. They would deal with Morgana, but first, Dedrick would be dealt with. Her smile grew as soon as she felt Emma's hand in her own, their love merging and then flowing towards their daughter.


End file.
